Dead Man Tell No Tale
by DarkHeartInTheSky
Summary: Jack has hired two cabin boys to work on the Black Pearl. But they both carry a secret, and when they encounter Davy Jones, Jack may have just gotten himself into more trouble than ever before. Pirates of the Carribean crossover
1. Two Cabin Boys

**I came back from vacation sooner than I thought.**

**Sage: Prehaps a little to soon.**

**What can I say? I was eager to post my new story and I missed hearing from my fans.**

**Sage: Whatever.**

**This is a crossover with Pirates of the Carribean. If you do not know what Yugioh is, don't read because you won't understand. Parings are: Will/Elizabeth and onesided Jack/Elizabeth. I got a laptop for my birthday and haven't been able to upload Word onto it yet. I've had to use WordPad which doesn't have spellchecker on it so I apologize for any mistakes.**

**Sage: DarkHeartInTheSky does not own Yugioh or Pirates of the Carribean. **

-0-0-0-0-

"That one." The brown-haired man said as his hand pointed at the gem sitting under the glass that stood before him. "It's perfect."

The merchant, an older man with yellow teeth and no hair, smiled as he took the ring out from the case and laid it on top so the man could examine it. "You have a good eye, lad. That gem be one of the most beautiful stones my old eyes have ever had the pleasure of seeing. A beautiful ring deserves a beautiful finger to rest upon, no?"

"Aye. She is beautiful. I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life, however long it may be, with her and only her."

The merchant nodded. "Spoken like a true gentlemen. Tell me, son, what be your lady's name?"

"Elizabeth Swann, sir."

"The governer's daughter?"

"Aye, sir."

The merchant whistled. "She is a beauty. You did quite a fine job. There a lot of young men who would give anything to be her husband."

"Nonesense." Will scolded, "They are only intrested in the money her family has. I am in it for love. I owe her my life. She rescued me when we were children."

"I remember hearing about that. You're William Turner?"

"Junior, sir." Will corrected.

"What happened to senior."

Will looked down. "I don't know."

The merchant was quiet. "I'm sorry, lad."

"It's nothing." Will dug through a pocket that hung at his hip and pulled out a handful of gold coins. He put them out onto the counter and grabbed the ring. The merchant gave his thanks and grabbed the coins. He jangled them in his hands, then frowned. He picked one up and bit into hard. Will gave the man an odd look, to which he replied, "It's protocal, son. Pirates inhabit these islands and make a living forging money to get the real valuables."

"You've encountered pirates?"

"Aye, laddie. Some of them have been the worst of the worst."

"You mean the meanest?"

The merchant's jaw opened wide, and he shook his head. "No, lad. I'm being literal. Some of the pirates I've been encounterin' have been failuries!"

"Do you know any of there names?" Will asked, dreading the answer that was sure to come.

The merchant closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. "Lemme see..there was this one guy..what was his name?" He opened his eyes and looked at Will. "Oh, I remember now. The man called himself Captain Jack Sparrow."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The man stood by the edge of the boat, looking out his telescope. He scanned the open waters. The were unusally calm and collected. He scoffed. The waters by Port Royal were exceptionally boring and dull. Where were the twenty-foot tall waves? Where was the green waters he had come to love and adore so much that he dared called home? He glanced up at the sky. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the cries of seagulls echoed everywhere. A light breeze nipped at his skin.

Jack Sparrow slid his telescope back into place and hung it at his hip. Why had he come back to Port Royal?

"Jack!" Called a voice from the docks. The captain looked down from the Black Pearl and sighed as he saw Will coming up. Oh yeah, he remembered now. Will run up the ramp and stepped onto the pirates ship.

"Did you get what you need?" Jack asked sternly.

"Yes." Will dug through his pocket and showed Jack the diamond he had accuqurired. Jack picked it up and held it with his thumb and middle finger. He admired it as the sun's rays glistened off it. There wasn't the slight imperfection. Jack was impressed at his friend's finding. Not many men knew what the value of such a gem was.

"This is very beautiful." Jack commented as he handed it back.

Will looked at it doubtfully. "Do you think she'll like it?"

"I'm posistive she'll love it." Jack bit his lip and looked over the edge of the boat. He was sure that Elizabeth would love the ring. He may be a pirate, but that didn't mean he lied like one. But he also wasn't heartless. He was happy for Will, but another part of him, the predator part, wanted to lung at his throat. Jack heard a noise in the distance that intrigued him and he turned his head, forgetting his prior thoughts.

"What's wrong, Jack?"

Jack brought a finger up to Will's lips. "Quiet, boy. I hear something."

Both men looked over the edge of the ship and saw two men, nearly identical, running around the Port speaking an odd language. They stopped by the cargo area of the Port and began to speak with a man who was loading supplies onto a ship. One man was slightly taller, with red eyes that were full of confidence. His hair was tall and wild, sporting three different colors. His compaion was shorter and his eyes were violet and full of the kind of innoncence only youth could posses. He bore the same hair.

"Foreginers." Will commented.

"It's a shipyard, boy, of course they are going to be foreginers." Jack replied, feeling like he were scolding a child.

"But, they aren't the foreginers we are used to . Look at them.. They are not from the Americas, nor any of the islands in the Carribean. They don't even look French."

Jack pondered this for a moment. Will had a good point. Jack had sailed all the waters in the islands that made of the Carribean, seeing every culture that he had thought existed. These boys fit none of the charateristics he had come to understand. Their clothing was like none he had seen before and he had never heard the language that came out of their tounges.

"Wait," Will said, "They are speaking english now."

Jack squinted his eyes and watched the lips move on the older boy. He tuned out all other noises and focuses soley on the words that were coming out of the boy's mouth.

"-brother and I are looking for work. We are willing to work on ship and do not need to be paid with money. Food and board are all we need."

"Sorry kid," the man said, "we barely have enough room for our own crew."

The kid sighed, but nodded. "I understand." He looked at the younger boy. "Come on, Yugi. There has to be someone out here who would be willing to hire." He took the kid's hand and pulled him through the boat yard.

"Very intresting." Jack said.

Will looked at him oddly. "You could hear them?"

Jack nodded. "They want work."

"And you want to hire them."

Jack glanced at Will, then grined. "We need a crew."

"But what about Elizabeth? I cannot leave her to go out onto the seas with you again! I don't want to spend my honeymoon without her!"

"She can come with us. She did say she loved the pirate life." Jack gripped the edge of the boat and hopped over, landing in the waters with a splash. He swam to the docks and pulled himself out. Jack sat down for a moment to squeeze the water out of his messy dreadlocks, then shook his head like a dog. He stood up and ran into the boat yard. It was filled with various ships from all over the world, each carrying cargo from their native country.

Jack listened closely for the boy's voice. He picked it up from around the corner and saw the two boys sitting on top of crates. The younger one had his chin in his hands and looked very glum. The older boy was speaking in the odd language. Jack wasn't really paying much attention to what was being said, but instead tried to get their attention.

"Ahoy, matties!" Jack greeted. The older boy's eyes shot up and glared at the pirate. He spoke to the boy in the odd language and the boy nodded.

"Don't be like that. I hear you boys are looking for work."

They continued to be silent, and stared at him.

Jack, becoming frustrated, scowled. "I know you boys speak english. I heard you speaking to that man back in the shipyard asking for a job. It just so happens I have room for two young, strong men abroad my ship!"

The older boy raised an eyebrow and looked down, thinking an idea over. After a moment, he spoke. "What would we have to do?" He asked in perfect english.

Jack smiled. "Whatever we would need to have be done. You two look like you could make excellent cabin boys." Jack pointed out.

The older boy seemed to take offense to that, but the younger one pulled at his sleeve and spoke again in the odd language. The older boy looked at him. "Are you sure?" He asked. His friend nodded. The older sighed. "Very well." Looking back up at Jack, he said, "We accecpt."

"Excellent! If you have no luggage, come onto my ship at once."

The boys stood up and folllowed Jack. "What are your names?" The captain asked as he made his way back to his ship.

"I am Yami." The older said sternly. "This is Yugi, my brother."

"Hmm. What names would those be?"

"Japanese." Yugi said. "They mean 'Dark' and 'Game'. What is your name?"

"I," he turned to face his new employes, "am Captain Jack Sparrow of the Black Pearl."

Yugi's face lightened up with curosity.

"Your hat," Yami said cautiously,"is one of a pirate."

Jack's hand uncounciosuly went up to his head and felt the cottton head piece he wore. He swallowed.

"Well?" Yami said impatiently as he began to tap his foot. Jack looked down at the shoes the man wore. The were skinny and went up to his ankles. They looked like they were made of leather and they made a _clank clank clank _as they hit the wood of the Port. Jack foucsed on them as he made up a liable excuse for his dress.

"Of course it is. I stole it from the the infamous Davy Jones! He tried to bring me down into his Locker, but I fought him to the death! And my reward for slaying the dreaded pirate was taking his hat!" Jack lied, mentally praising himself. He thought it was impressive that he could come up the story so quickly and it made sense and flow evenly. The younger boy's eyes were filled with amazement. Jack smirked. This kid would be easy to fool.

"Are we suppose to believe that?" Yami asked.

"You're free to believe what you want, laddie, but the fact remains that you are working for me and I don't have to tell you anything I don't wish too."

"A secretive employer? I don't think we're intrested in someone who's afraid to confide in us the truth."

"I have a first mate you can take that up with. But for now, let us be off to my ship!" Jack continued towards the Black Pearl.

Yami and Yugi looked at each other, then followed the man. He lead them to the edge of the Port where they docks were. They looked up at the ship with awe. It wasn't very big, but it stood in it's own galore. It had a large sail that moved with the light wind. The front of the ship was large and held a sense of confidence. They moved to the ramp and walked up it.

"Jack!" A voice called. Yugi turned a saw a another man coming at them. He had brown eyes and brown hair. Dark whiskers were growing out on his chin and he look enraged.

Jack turned to face them. "My apologies, gentlement. This is William Turner, my first mate."

Will looked at Jack confused, but before he could speal, Jack continued, "You have to excuse him. Poor lad is lovesick and is dearly awaiting the arrival of his beloveled. He plans to ask for her hand tonight and his fear of rejection has him all wound up."

"Nice to met you, William." Yami said and put out his hand. Will took it and shook it.

"Call me Will. Listen, I'll have to talk to you later. Right now, the captain," he said the word with slight disdain, "and I need to talk." Will took Jack's sleeve and pulled him to the back of the Black Pearl. Once he was sure they were out of earshot from the other two, he spoke.

"What the hell are you thinking?" He whispered, the words came out raspy in his voice along with some spittle.

"I was thinking we could use some extra help on the Black Pearl. These boys needed a job and I offered them one. What's the harm in having another two pairs of hand on deck?"

"How are we suppose to sustain two more mouths when we can barely feed ourselves?"

Jack rose a finger to speak and opened his mouth to speak, then paused. He brought the finger to his lip and looked down at the deck. "I never thought about that." He mummbled.

"Yeah, Jack, you tend to not think about a lot of things."

Jack snapped his fingers together. "I know. We're pirates! We're pilage this lousy town and take all supplies we'll need."

Will laughed slightly.

"What's so funny, boy?" Jack asked sternly.

"I was talking to the merchant who sold me the ring. He said he met Captain Jack Sparrow once and that he was the worst excuse for a pirate he had ever seen."

"He said that? Oh yeah..I know who you're talking talking about. That old scum bag still owes me six gold coins.."

"For what?" Will shouted, surprised.

Jack waved the question off like it was a gnat. "Don't worry about it. He and I, we used to gamble together back in the day, but that was years ago."

"Excuse us."

Jack and Will turned to see Yugi standing in front of them, with a curious look on his face.

"Um, how long have you been standing there, laddie?" Jack asked as his eyes locked with Will's.

"Not very long. There's a lady who wants to come up. She says her name is Swann."

"Elizabeth!" Will shouted. He left Jack and ran past Yugi, shoving the boy to the side. Yugi hit the edge of the boat and cried out in shock. The boy fell to his knees as he grabbed his shoulder.

Jack came to his aide. The pirate put an arm around the boy's unharmed shoulder and helped him to his feet. "You okay, kid?"

Yugi nodded, still unable to speak. He took a moment to collecct himself and inhaled deeply several times. "I'm fine. That was just so unexpected, you know?"

Jack nodded. "The boy really loves this girl. When he sees her, it's like they're they only two people on Earth."

Yugi nodded. "I understand."

"You have a girl?"

Yugi blushed at the question and looked down, pulling a strand of hair out of his face. "Uh, no. Yami's more of the lady's man, not me."

Jack said nothing. He choose to observe the boy. He seemed relucatnat to answer a simply question. He recalled just a few moments ago when Yami accused him of being of secretive, but it seemed that Jack wasn't the only one with a secret. This boy and his brother, whoever they were, had a secret of their own as well. All Jack knew about them was their names and that they came from Japan. He didn't know what they were doing so far from home or why they even left in the first place. He didn't know why they were willing to take a job with someone they don't even know and why the older brother seemed so protective of the younger one. It wasn't just some simple brotherly protection; Jack had only known them for a few minutes, but he cold read Yami's body language. Yami wasn't trusting at all, and seemed to take every measure to see to Yugi's safety. Why though? The boy had to be at least fiftten, a man by even the slave keepers standards.

They were keeping their own secrets. The question remained what were they?

-0-0-0-0-

They sat on the docks with their bare feet hanging over the edge, gently swinging underneath the cool waters. Elizabeth had her head ontop of Will's shoulder and her right hand sat ontop of his knee. They two didn't speak. They sat comfortable in the silence as the sun began to fall over the horizon, setting the sky on fire with colors of pink and red. Elizabeth was in her large, ballroom gown, not caring that by sitting on the docks she would forever ruin it. She hated wearing dresses anyways. They made her feel girly and vulnerable. She was not vulnerable. She had recently gone on the adventure of a lifetime, proving her worth as a person and not just another woman.

She shifted her head into a better posistion. Her soft eyes glanced up briefly at Will's and she smiled. Will was so perfect. He was strong, respectful, and loving. Elizabeth knew she was in love with him, but her father had different ideas. The Governer wanted his daughter to marry someone royal, not a blacksmith his ship had plucked from the ocean years ago. Elizabeth had tried to plead with her father; insisting that if she were to marry it would be for for love, not for to keep her own father happy.

She sighed quietly so Will wouldn't hear her. She remembered seeing two strange men on Jack's ship. She wondered who they were and where they came from. They weren't Carribean and they didn't look French. She decided that Will would know who they were.

"Will?" She asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over them.

"Hm?" He asked, as though he were lost in a world of his own.

"Who were those two men on the Black Pearl? I've never seen them around Port Royal before."

"Jack hired them to work on the Pearl. He says we need some extra hands on deck."

Elizabeth took her head off Will's shoulder and looked at him. "What does Jack mean by, 'we'?"

Will sighed. "I'm going with Jack. You know him, how he gets. He can't possibly take care of himself long enough to survive more than a few days. You are free to accompany us if that is your wish."

Elizabeth bit her lip, then smiled. "I don't care where I am as long as I have you by my side."

"Aye. I could be in Davy Jones' locker, but if I went there to save you, then it would have been worth it."

"And I would do the same for you."

Will placed his hands on the back of Elizabeth's head and brought it close to his head. Their foreheads were touching and each turned their own head to their right. Their lips were puckered when they touched and when they released, she felt Will's hot breath on her neck.

"I love you Elizabeth." He said softly as he went in for another kiss.

"I love you, William." Their foreheads were still touching and they each got lost in the other's eyes.

Will reached for his pocket slowly so Elizabeth wouldn't see. He dug out the small ring that would bound them together forever in love.

"Elizabeth," Will said as he pulled himself away. "I would do anything you asked me. Can i trust that you would do the same for me?"

"Of course, Will. I'll do anything for you."

"I want you to come with me and Jack. Together, we can sail the seven seas and hopefully keep Jack from getthing himself killed."

Elizabeth laughed. "Yes. I will join you in your quest to keep Jack alive."

Will smiled. "Good. Can you do me one more thing?"

"What is it?"

Will showed the diamond ring and Elizabeth's mouth dropped. Tears of happiness swelled in her eyes.

"Will you marry me?"


	2. Drunkenness

Yugi stared at the hammock that hung above his. It swayed with the boat and made an annoying creaking sound. Two rats scurried across the floor boards and began to fight over a scrap of stale bread. Yugi watched them for a moment, wondering how hungry they had to be to be willing to fight over something that ultimately would not provide them any nourishment. They squealed and began to claw at each other; droplets of blood spilled over the floor. They pulled at the food scrap until it broke in half, then each went their own way, content with what they had. The boy sighed and turned onto his side. He heard the sound of footsteps above him. Jack, Will, and Elizabeth were on the main deck talking about who-knows-what. It didn't matter what they were talking about; it wasn't any of his business. He was just a cabin boy working with strangers so he didn't have to face the truth that awaited him back home in Japan.

He willing admitted that he was a coward. That was a fact he could not deny. He drug Yami halfway around the world so he wouldn't have to face his fears back home. It was Yami's idea to come out to here, but the reason they were in this mess to begin with was all his fault. Tears made their way into Yugi's eyes as he recalled what occurred back in his city and then cursed himself out for being so weak. He covered his eyes with his hands and scratched at his face. He could feel blood being drawn but he only dug his nails deeper into his flesh. He deserved to be in pain. He had to suffer to for his actions, and he had not yet suffered enough. This entire situation happened all because of him. Yugi broke into soft, hiccuping sobs. He knew he could never go home. He could never go back and see his friends, or his schoolmates. He would never again see his Grandfather's smiling face and he could never let himself be held in his mother's embrace. The guilt of the pain he had caused them draped over him like a blanket, and Yugi was sure he would never be able to take that blanket off. He had committed an unthinkable deed and he needed to pay for it. He was an adult now, he could accept responsibility for his actions.

'But running away isn't accepting resopbibilty.' He scolded himself.

The boat rocked back and forth in a jerking motion. Yugi felt sick to his stomach and began to question his motives for boarding a ship. A pirate ship no less! Yugi wasn't fooled by the act the captain had performed; it was obvious he was a pirate. Everything from the dreadlocks he wore to the century old boots that were fastened to his feet screamed pirate. Yugi had decided to play dumb with the captain because he thought it would make him look less suspicious. He didn't care what Jack thought of him, as long as he believed a lie. The danger Yugi had put himself, and Yami, into was obvious. Perhaps not a the moment, but if his new boss ever found out about his past, hell was bound to break loss. Yugi could only pray that the truth never came out.

"Yugi, you should be sleeping."

Yugi sighed as he sat up on the hammock. "You're one to talk." Yugi replied. "You should be sleeping too."

Yami was quiet for a moment, then out of nowhere, he jumped off the upper hammock and landed in front of Yugi. "I will sleep when it is necessary. As of now, I have to make sure we are safe here."

"Jack seems to wish us no harm." Yugi persuaded. "Besides, he seems to be a little demented."

Yami's face darkened as he got down onto his knees. "All the more reason to watch out for him. He seems to be the kind of man that will put others in harm to get to what he wants."

"You learned all this from barely talking to him?"

Yami closed his eyes and began to dig in his pockets. When he pulled out his hand it was clenched into a fist. He put it in front of Yugi and opened it. In his palm was a small, golden piece that had an odd eye symbol on it. It glowed slightly and illuminated the confused expression on Yugi's face. Without saying anything, Yugi took the piece from his friend's palm and held it up to his face, as though he were examining it for the first time.

"The Eye of Horus." Yugi stated blankly. He looked at his friend in betrayal. "This is a piece of the Millennium Puzzle. Why did you have it? You said it was to dangerous to bring the Puzzle!"

Yami looked at his companion sadly. "I am still connected to the Puzzle, even if it is in pieces. This piece is where most of the power lies. It told me all about out employer while we talked to him. I assumed it wouldn't be harmful to bring a piece of our past, it it could help us in the future."

"What did you find out?"

Yami breathed deeply through his nose. "He has a good heart, but his judgement is clouded. We best be careful if we want to avoid suspicion."

"How long can we keep up this facade?" Yugi asked, his infliction slightly rising. "I suspect he thinks we are brothers, but what if I slip up? What if we get caught talking of out past, of the Millennium Items, and of our home? They'll ask questions we can't answer and-

"We will not talk of those subjects." Yami interrupted. "It's as simple as that. They cannot catch us in a lie if they do not know we are lying. As far as they need to know, we are brothers who needed employment. They do not need to know of our heritage, and if they ask we will say that it is none of their concern."

Yugi closed his eyes tightly as he tried to fight back the tears. "We cannot elude the truth forever. I am a criminal. It's not fair that you had to come. You weren't responsible for what happened, I was. It's all my fault and mine alone."

Yami shook his head in a scolding way. He lifted his hand and placed it under Yugi's chin. He rose the boy's face so that their eyes were leveled. "Yugi, I want you to listen to me. You are not responsible in anyway for what happened. I pressured you into doing something you weren't comfortable with doing and it ended up costing both of us our most valuable possessions." He took his hand away and looked off in the distance. "Maybe one day we can go back home, but for now we must focus on the present. Go to sleep, Yugi. We are sure to have a long day's work ahead of us tomorrow and we need to be well rested." He took the puzzle piece from Yugi and pocketed it.

Yugi sniffed and swallowed a lump in his throat. "Only if you sleep too."

Yami sighed in defeat. "Deal."

-0-0-0-0-0-

Jack stared at Will and Elizabeth. Elizabeth sat in Will's lap with her arms wrapped around his neck. They couple was wrapped in each other's arms and were smiling at each other. Grunting, Jack took another sip from the rum bottle he held in his hands. He gripped the neck of the glass bottle tightly and he swore he could hear it cracking.

"I love you." He heard Elizabeth say.

"And I you." Was Will's reply.

Jack's anger began to intensify as the goo-goo talk that filled the background. It made his stomach queasy and he wanted to vomit. His feelings were mixed. Part of him was happy for his best mate; the man was going to marry a beautiful woman and would surely live a happy life. But another part of him was envious. He wanted to be the one to present the ring to Elizabeth, he wanted to be the one to ask for her hand. Jack wasn't angry at Will for getting to her first. Instead, he was angry at himself for being so repulsive that Elizabeth choose Will over him. He took another sip of the liquor and had to suppress a belch. It would only have been another thing that made him disgusting. Part of him said 'what's the point? Will's won her so there's no reason to act polite', but another part of him said, 'it's not official until they get married'. Jack was leaning more onto the second part, hoping that somehow he could win her over, but he did doubt it.

"So, Jack," Elizabeth began, "tell me of your new cabin boys."

"Was 'ere to 'ell?" Jack said, his drunken tongue slurred his words. It felt fat in his mouth.

"Well, where did you met them?"

Jack stared at her. She appeared blurry through his eyes, but he could see her most unique feature: her smile. Her smile because she was bethroved, Jack reminded himself.

"I met them 'his morning at th' docks." Jack answered. "They looked 'ike two strong men. They said they wanted a job and I 'hought I could use 'ome cabin boys." Jacks words began to slur even more as he went into more detail of his new employees. "They said they were from Japan, of all places! 'Hey're nice boys."

"Jack," Will interjected, "Maybe you should stop drinking for the night. All the rum has gone to your head."

"No!" Jack shouted, like a spoiled child. "'S my ship, and I'll do wha' I wan'. 'M captain and no body can tell me what to do." His nostrils flared as he finished talking. Just to make a point he took one big gulp of the rum and smacked his lips in gluttony. The cold night's wind picked up and the sail blew forward. The boat's pace picked up slightly, making the water splash against the sides of the Black Pearl.

"Jack," Will said, his voice began to fill with worry, "Just where exactly are we heading again?"

Jack spread his arms out like a bird, the rum bottle still held firmly in his right hand, "Wherever the sea may take us, lad. "

Will and Elizabeth were motionless. They both looked at each other in shock with their mouths ajar. Will looked back at Jack, who was about to pass out intoxicated. Jack, oblivious to the angry stares, began to softly sing, "Yo ho yo ho a pirates life for me."

As Will watched Jack, he became enraged. He pushed Elizabeth off of his lap and stood up. "Jack, you have no idea where we are going?"

Jack stopped singing. "That's the beauty of being a sailor, isn't it?"

"Jack!" Will yelled. "You idiot! What happens when we need to port?" He looked back at Elizabeth.

"Then we'll port, laddie. It ain't that difficult, is it?"

"What happens when we're one hundred miles away from the nearest town and we need to dock for supplies?" Will screamed, his face red and enraged.

"I don't know, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it and hope we get across!"

Will snarled. "Hope is not a means of execution." He pulled back his arm and struck Jack in the jaw. The pirate fell onto his back in shock; the rum bottle slipped from his grasp and shattered as it hit the deck. Will walked up to him and kicked him in the sides. "You moron!" He screamed. "We only have enough rations to last us a few months, and you just invited two more mouths onto the ship!" Will bent down and grabbed Jack by his dreadlocks. With one swift yank he pulled the captain back onto his feet and punched him in the nose again. Jack's head was smacked to the side and when he turned to face Will, a crimson liquid was pouring out of Jack's nose. Will took his right foot and placed it behind Jack's left. He ripped it forward and Jack fell hard onto his back. Jack's shoulders shook as he pushed himself up onto his feet. He brought a hand to his face and looked at the bloody mess his nose had left.

Jack growled and lunged at Will. He wrapped his arms around Will's neck. Will grabbed Jack's shoulders in his fight for oxygen and shoved Jack backwards. Jack fell onto his back again, and cried out in pain. In a flash, Will was on his feet and on top of Jack's stomach. He turned to his side and drew a sword. He placed the tip of the blade onto Jack's arms and cut it. A large slice had been made in his skin and as more blood leaked from Jack's body, he grabbed the tip of the sword and yanked it from Will's grasp. As he did this, Will lost his balance and fell back. Jack sprung up and placed the blade at Will's jugular. He saw the fear in the boy's eyes, but he was out of his mind. Jack had fallen into a blind rage. He was about to made the slice that would kill his foe when,

"Stop it!" Jack turned around and saw Elizabeth standing up. She was sweaty and tears were in her eyes. Her face was red and swollen. "Stop it, both of you! You're fighting like animals!" She walked up to the men and snatched the sword from Jack's grasp. "If we are to survive this voyage, we need to get along. We've done it before, we can do it again. But we will fail miserably if you two try to kill each other at every opportunity!" She turned to face Jack. "Jack, you go to the sleeping quarters, and I do not want to see you again until sunrise!"

"But, Elizabeth-

"Now!"

Jack hung his head and unwilling forced his feet to move along the deck and to the door that lead under the boat. He turned back and saw Elizabeth help Will up to his feet. She whispered something in his ear and he smiled. Their lips touched momentarily before Elizabeth pulled away and giggled. Jack was always in control of his emotions. He felt angry, and sadness, but he was always consciousness enough not to cry. When he saw Will and Elizabeth act the way they did with each other, how happy she was with him, he felt a kind of sadness that can't be explained. Elizabeth laughed again and Will pushed her down onto the deck. They were on top of each other, kissing, and just enjoying each other's company. Jack felt hot tears run down his face before he turned away and went down to sleeping quarters. He felt oddly sober as he descended the stairs.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Yugi and Yami stared at Jack as he came down the stairs. His nose and arm were bleeding badly, but he didn't seem to notice it. Yugi noticed his eyes were tear-filled and empty. They were about to go to sleep when they heard a racket from the upper deck, but Yami convinced Yugi to stay where he was, despite his curiosity. Jack said nothing, but walked to an empty hammock and sat down. He pulled his legs up and laid them down on the hammock. He laid his hands flat across his chest and began to swing the hammock. Yugi and Yami stared at each other for a moment, and both men nodded.

"Jack?," Yugi asked, "Are you okay? You're bleeding."

Jack looked at his arm and shrugged. "I've had worse, lad."

Yugi frowned. "But, sir, it could get infected. You should at least let me bandage it." Jack sighed, then stuck out his arm. Yugi walked over to his boss and shed his jacket. He took one of the sleeves in his hand and bit down on it. With his right hand, he pulled the sleeve downward and tore off a piece of his jacket. He wrapped the blue fabric around the man's arm and tied it tight. Yugi put it in a bow and double-knotted it. Jack examined it for a moment, then nodded. "You did a good job, son."

Yugi bit his cheek. "It's Yugi."

"Aye. Yugi." Jack said without emotion. "And you are, Yami, correct?" Jack turned to face the other boy who had been extremely quiet. Yami met his gaze and nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Sir," Yugi began, "what was that racket up on the top deck?"

"Me and young William got into a little sparing fight. You and your brother will need to learn how to fight too if you're gonna stay on my ship."

"We already know how to spar." Yami said, offended at Jack's previous statement. "We fight with swords like a chef works with spices."

Jack grinned. "Such strong words for a boy."

"I'm eighteen." Yami said, offended by Jack's statement.

"You and your brother may be defined men by your age, but inside you are still children. Age is but a number, and it means nothing in the end. A boy's maturity is defined by his character."

Yami raised an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge?" Yami stood up and approached the captain. "Because I could kick your ass up one way and down the other."

"Now is that anyway to speak to your boss?" Jack asked whimsically.

Yami grunted. He looked down at Yugi. The younger boy gave him a sympathetic look and the conversation Yami had earlier with him was repeated in his ears. This situation was his fault, not Yugi's, even though the young boy was eager to believe it. Yami couldn't ruin their chance of staying aboard, if the truth came out Jack would surely kick them off the boat and make sure they make their way straight back to Japan. Yami couldn't risk it; he and Yugi would surely be killed if they went back home. Yami blew some hair out of his eyes and secrety rolled them. If swallowing his pride ensured them at least another day on this boat, then so be it.

"Sorry, sir." Yami said through his teeth. "I will get to bed now." Without saying anything, Yami turned around and climbed onto his hammock. Yugi followed afterwards and got into his lower hammock and faced the wall. He fell asleep to the harmonical tune of Captain Jack singing, "Yo ho yo ho a pirates life for me."

**Reviews:**

**Kairi: 'I hope she says yes!'...Was there really doubt in there? Of course she'll say yes! Thanks, I'm normally not that good with detail myself, but something about the whole pirate-at-sea thing made it easier.**

**Deadpoolhulk: See, Sage? People did miss me, and I missed them. **

**Sage: I guess so..though why I'll never know.**

**We don't need to know why! Thanks for saying that about my idea! It made me more confindent about this!**

**Assassin Massie: Thanks for the review! It made my day!**

**Mystery Agent: Don't worry; I'm not including any small details from the series. Any plot devices I use from the POC series will be some of the bigger ones. I will be including a character that didn't have that big of a role in the first movie, but did have a large one in the first and second movies. Thanks for at least trying this story out. You should try and watch the movies on YouTube or something. This is my favorite movie series!**


	3. A Look at Our Past

**The biggest plot bunny that stands in my way as I write this is the time line. Yugioh takes place in modern times while POTC takes place during the French-Colonial period.**

**Sage: We are doing our best to work with this flaw, and hope that none of you are confused by this. **

**The song Jack sings is Hoist the Colors, which is sung in At World's End. **

-0-0-0-0-

The boat creaked as his heavy boots walked across the deck. Storm clouds circled the sky in a hurrican-like pattern as it followed the ship around the seas. There was a clap of thunder and a flash of lightening illuminated the sky momentarily. The green fog that blanketed the ship was thicker than normal; it more than likely had something to do with the captain's foul mood. He grunted and the crew men moved out of the way. All of them were hideously fused with a creature of the sea. One man was half-shark, with a dorsol fin sticking out of his head. Another man had coral growing out of his back like hair. Each branch was infested with algea and plankton. There were several other half-human creatures; one of them had fish lips and a fin where his rear end should have been. Another one's head was large and round like an octupus's. There were about eight others who had a similar condition; each varied in their own way. The creatures went to the center of the boat, safely out of the captain's way, and began to turn the wheel that lay there. It had twelve pegs for the sailors to grab, and each of the men took their own. The walked aimlessly clockwise to get the boat to continue moving. The wheel creaked and moaned in it's old age, and the mold it had collected over the years slowed down it's ability to gain momentum.

Davy Jones came to the edge of the ship and pulled a telescope out of his boot. He opened it and scanned the surrondings. As far as his eye could see was ocean. Thunder roared and lighting sparked, but the captain remained unfazed. The wind howled and the ripped Jolly Roger flapped violently. Jones' crab like claws gripped the scope tightly as his beady squid eyes surveyed the waters. The storm clouds blocked all moon and starlight, obsucring the captain's view. The waters slapped up against the bottom of the boat and sometimes some of it splashed onto the deck. RIght now, Jones' feet were soaked with sea water. He cursed under his breath. Calypso was not on his side tonight. Suddenly, the Flying Dutchman came to a halt. The captain was thrown forward by the unexpected change in interia. Davy Jones turned around and saw his crew had stopped turning the wheel that served as the boat's helm. Anger filled his cold-blooded veins.

"What be the reason for stopping?" Jones snarled as he snapped the telescope shut. The shark-man stepped forward; a snarl was stitched into his features. "Captain," he began, "We are tired and need rest. We will not find Sparrow if you work us to death."

"We will not find Sparrow if we don't work!" Jones shouted. His crew flinched at the intensity of Jones' voice, but hide their fear under a mask of anger and indifference. They had learned to deal with their captain's hostility years ago. They didn't have to like him just as he didn't have to like any of them. But they were all workers on the Flying Dutchman, so it was best that they do their best to get along as best they could. It was their job to ferry the souls of those who died at sea to the Afterlife. Such a respobibilty made it so that they could only die if they were injured. It was ironic how Sharkman made the comment about being worked to death when in reality death would never come to their doorsteps.

"Captain, we both know Sparrow returned to Port Royal. What business would he have sailing waters this far east of the Carribean?" Sharkman replied, keeping calm yet uncaring. "Isn't it more likely that he would be sailing near the coast of Jamaica?"

Davy Jones threw the telescope at Sharkman. It hit him right in the jaw and a trickle blood ran down the creature's chin. The scent of blood made him immomible as his shark instincts began to take control.

"Don't you think I know that?" Jones shouted. Sharkman's tounge found it's way out of his mouth and began to lap up the blood like whiskey.

"Sparrow is a power hungry fool. He will go to wherever there is money. He will not take into consideration what kind of protection people will take to protect their goods. Port Royal has nothing that would be of any intrest to him. That's why it is more likely Sparrow will go to France and try to rob their treasury." Davy Jones turned back around and looked over the edge of the boat. He glared at the black waters that carried the ghost boat across the world. He could see his reflection in the tide. His pink, scaly face was mirrored, along with the layers of tentacles. His captain's hat covered his pointy head. Two small holes in the center of his face replaced the nose he once had. He rose a hand to stoke the beard of tentacles and was reminded that his hands were like claws. Davy Jones hated to see his reflection; it reminded him of the mistake he made years ago and that he was not human. Prehaps he had never been human. Maybe he was just a fool. Jones shook his head. It didn't matter anymore. What's done is done. That was all behind him now.

"If we travel day and night we can make it to France within a few weeks. We will get there before Sparrow and take back what is rightfully ours: The Black Pearl." Jones said quiety.

The crew said nothing. Slowly, one by one each of the half-human creatures made their way back to the helm. They would not get between their captain and his goal. Sparrow had literally made a deal witht the devil and it was time he paid his debt. Sharkman was the last to return to his post; he was stuck trying to eat the bleeding flesh that was his own. In the end, his will power was greater for his face remained in one piece, but the blood was still there to taunt and tease him. Jones bent down and picked up the telescope he had thrown. It had a small dink in it from where it had Sharkman's chin. Davy Jones put it back in his boot and stood up straight. He watched his men for a moment as they turned the helm clockwise in montonus movements. They did not converse; the only thing they did was pushing the wheel round and around in a never ending circle.

Davy Jones went to the bottom deck of the boat where they kept the food and rum. There was also a small cell in the far corner of the room where they would keep prisnores. It was unusally empty and Jones felt sad at the sight. He felt the urge to lock someone up in there. He loved the idea of having someone at his mercy. It was a life changing experience to be able to do with someone else's life as you wished. Jones stuck his hand in a near by barrel and pulled out a large, red apple. He took a bite out of it and the water inside it ran down his chin. The sticky liquid made his skin feel dry. Jones walked over to the cage and grabbed one of the bars with his claws. The metal bent into a S shape in his grip; whining as it made the change. The emptiness of the cage was a reminder to to Jones that he had failed at being a menance of the sea. Pirates no longer flinched at his name and he was becoming nothing more than a myth.

He imagined taking a prisnor. He didn't care who it was, as long as he had someone. Jones took another bite of the apple and took great measure to chew it slowly and throughly.

"Ye better watch your back, Sparrow." Davy Jones spat into the empty cell. "I'll be comin' for you and I swear to Calypso, I will show you no mercy."

-0-0-0-0-

_"Yugi!" The voice called. It was obviosuly in distress, but Yugi couldn't tell why. He didn't feel odd. In fact, he felt wonderful. It was as though he were on a cloud. "Yugi," the voice repeated, "talk to me!"_

_"Make your move, boy." Called a second voice. "Or has the great King of Games finally met his end?"_

_The voice sounded fuzzy as it entered Yugi's ears and he couldn't make it who it was. It sounded fimilar, but he couldn't regonize it. Yugi squinted his eyes but they couldn't focus on anything. All he could see were colors, no shapes or sizes. His hands began to shake and his focus was returned to what he had previosuly been doing. In his hand he held one card, and in his deck was one card left. The duel disk felt heavy on his wrist and Yugi found it incredibly hard to concentrate._

_"Yugi, you are in no condition to continue fighting!" Yami screamed inside Yugi's head. "Let me take over!"_

_"No." Yugi whispered in his mind. "I-I've almost done it."_

_"I was wrong, Yugi. You shouldn't be doing this by yourself! Let me take over and finish him!" _

_Yugi hung his head and his hair drooped forward, covering his eyes. "Wh-why don't you believe in my, Yami?" He asked child-like. Why couldn't anyone believe he could do anything? He could protect himself and do things for himself. He wasn't helpless. He wasn't a child. He was fifteen for Ra's sake!_

_"I do, Yugi, but he's weakend you. Let me take over, for your sake and the sake of our friends!"_

_Yugi complentated the idea for a moment. He would do anything for his friends. He would even let himself die so they could be safe. They were the reason he had come here. And Yami was right; his foe had weakened him. Yugi was nearly blind and he was trembling so much he couldn't hold his cards straight. _

_"I'm waiting." His opponet taunted. "If you've given up, just surrender. It's no big deal. It'll just prove that I was right and you are nothing more than a scared child. The Pharaoh is the real King of Games, not you. Joey Wheeler was the runner up in Duelist Kingdom, Seto Kaiba is one of the most powerful, influental people in the world. What does that make you?" _

_Yugi's breathing stopped momentarily. The duelist before him made a valid point. What was Yugi? He wasn't the Duelist Kingom Champiom. He had fallen ill during the battle and Yami had to defeat Peagues himself. He also wasn't the the Battle City Champion. Yami did all the work there, while he, once again, needed rescuing. Yugi exhaled irregulary. He was nothing. He would always be living in other people's shadows. Even his friends would never see him as his own person. Whenever they thought of him they also thought of Yami. He and Yami were closer than brothers, but they were not the same person. Yugi was the complete opposite of his partner. Yami was strong, confident, and brave. Yugi was shy, weak, and full of self-doubt. _

_"No wonder people like Yami more than me." Yugi thought grimly. _

_"Yugi, if you don't retreat back to your soul room, I will take over!" Yami screamed loud as he could, interrupting Yugi's depressing thoughts. "With or without your consent." The spirit added. _

_Yugi closed his eyes. He couldn't see straight and his head felt like it were on fire. His chest was heavy, like several large stones had been placed on top of it. This was the most challenging Shadow Game he had ever particapted in. The stakes were the highest they had ever been, and the pain Yugi was enduring was like nothing he had ever felt before. A surge of pain shot up through his spine and he yelled out in agony. _

_"Yugi!" _

_Yugi clutched his chest and began to pant. "O-okay. You c-can fight him." Yugi said through the mind link. He sensed Yami's compliance and he felt himself being pulled into his soul room. Ra, he hadn't felt this bad since the duel with Peagues. He felt worse now than he did then. He was in his room, but his vision was still fuzzy. He was weak and he felt himself collaspe onto the floor. _

_A few minutes pasted and Yugi and had not heard from his ally. Slowly and painfully, he connected to Yami's consciouness to tell him he was fine but instead he heard what Yami heard. _

_"You've lost, Pharaoh."_

-0-0-0-0-

"The king and his men stole the queen from her bed; and bound her in her bones." Jack was singing as he stood at the helm of the Black Pearl. Will was away in the crow's nest. They had not spoken to each other since the events of last night. Jack looked down at the make-shift bandage Yugi had made. It was a kind gesture that the boy had torn his own clothing to stop the bleeding. Jack realized mournfully that he had not even thanked the boy for his deed. His cabin boys were on the main deck, talking with Elizabeth. The younger one, Yugi, seemed relucatant to talk with her. His eyes would often stray away to the waters, as though his mind was occupied elsewhere. Jack figured he was a typical teenage boy and was afraid to talk to girls.

Jack took a deep breath and inhaled the salty air. He smiled as warm memories came back to him. The sea was his home and he felt like he had been away for years. He had been homesick for all the time he was away, even though he rarely stepped foot off the Pearl. The wind began to pick up and blew the ship north.

"The seas be ours and by the powers, where we will we'll roam." Jack sang softly and his hands released the helm. He decided the wind would take them where they needed to go; wherever that may be. They still had a few months supply of cargo, but would probably need to port within the next few weeks. Will and Elizabeth were concerned about where they would get married and when. He heard them discussing it earlier, saying the minute they docked they would find someone to marry them. Jack felt numb inside. He wanted to pledge his love for Elizabeth, but he resisted because he knew it would never be returned. Elizabeth saw him as a friend and a friend only. Jack cherished that friendship and he didn't want to anything that would tarnish it. Jack sighed and began to walk down to the main deck.

"Now some have died and some are alive and others sail on the sea. With they keys to the cage and the devil to pay, we lay to fiddlers green."

Heads began to turn as Jack joined the trio on the deck. Elizabeth glared at him and he sat down on his knees. Jack gave her an apologetic glance, but she ignored it. Clearly she was still angry about last night. Jack supposed he couldn't blame her. He did almost behead the man she was engaged too. Yugi and Yami stared at them, both sensing the tension between the woman and the pirate.

Jack bit his lip. His eyes went down to the ring on Elizabeth's third finger. It sat perfectly upon the slender appendange and the diamond sparkled. The gem was no comparison to Elizabeth's eyes, Jack thought.

"Yo ho, haul together, hoist the colors high. Heive ho, theives and beggars, never shall we die." As Jack sang this, he saw a small smile form on Elizabeth's mouth, but she quickly changed it back to the frown. Her hand moved up to her face and tucked a piece of her golden-brown locks behind her ear. It was an uncouncious statement saying she wanted to hear more of the song.

"The bell has been raised from it's watery grave. Hear, it's sepulchral tone. A call to you all, pay heed to the squal and turn your sails to home." Jack's eyes glanced at Yugi, who seemed to be hyptontized by the lyrics. He nor Yami had spoken a word since Jack came down which did not seem to faze the pirate. As far as he was concerned, the boys were not there at all. It was just him, trying his best to apologize to Elizabeth. His pride wouldn't allow him to come straight out and say 'I'm sorry', no, he needed to woe her into accecpting his apology.

"Yo ho, haul together, hoist the colors high. Heave ho, theives and beggars, never shall we die." Jack finished the song on a deep note, letting the virbations take their times as they exited his throat.

"That was beautiful."

Jack turned his head to Yugi, who had spoken the words. "Well, thank you, lad." Jack responded.

"What is it about?" The boy asked.

"It's a warning." Yami answered sternly. His arms were crossed across his chest and his stern gaze was cast upon Yugi. "It is saying you are at the mercy of the sea who can kill you anytime she pleases."

"Well, not neccesarily, lad. It's a song to pay homage to the goddess of the sea, Calypso. She protects all sailors and guides them to their destination." Jack aruged.

Yami closed his eyes and took a deep breath, as if he were agiatated by the rebuttle. "What if you lose favor with Calypso? Being a goddess, I'm sure she can strike any man down if it is her will."

Jack bit the inside of his cheek. Yami had a good point. What if it was Calypso's will for a man to die at sea? The goddess had more than enough power to make that possible. But, being a goddess, Calypso also couldn't use her powers to toy with man. She had to use them responibly, right? There were no gods above Calypso, though. No one would be there to stop her if she used her powers irresonibly.

"That is a good point, Yami." Jack admitted. "But, I have done nothing to displease our lovely goddess, so you have no reason to fear the sea."

Elizabeth scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You may not have done anything recently, but the gods are notorious for holding a grudge. If anything, your past will be the downfall of us all."

"I'm a changed man, Elizabeth." Jack said as he drew himself closer to her. "I have repent my sins. Doesn't that mean anything?"

Elizabeth was in disguist as Jack made his way closer to her. She pulled her arm back and looked away. "Only if the gods forgive you." She stood up and dusted off her clothing. She had traded in her ballroom gown for a pair of pants and a green blouse. Her hair, which was normally held up in a tight bun, fell freely down her shoulders. She turned to Yugi and Yami, "I will talk to you both later." She said as she began to walk to the back of the boat.

"Elizabeth, wait!" Jack called out. Elizabeth's head whipped around; her brown eyes were full of angery and irritation.

"Elizabeth, I'm sorry." Jack apologized. Elizabeth stared him down for a few moments, then scoffed.

"I am not the one you need to apologize too, Jack." She said coldy. Her head turned around and rose slightly. Jack saw her throat go into mini spasams and he saw opal shaped tears ran down her cheeks. Her feet came free from their frozen posistion and they moved themselves away from Jack.

Jack watched her go and sighed.

"Never shall I die." He whispered softly. His pride would allow him to apologize to Elizabeth, but he would rather be drug down to Davy Jones' locker than apologize to Will. It was he after all that started the fight last night; he hit Jack first. It anyone should be apologizing it should be Will to Jack. But the ex-blacksmith was just as proud as Jack. He would not confess his regrets, even if Elizabeth asked him too.

"Prehaps it is better to live and let live." Jack thought somberly. "I will not make amends if William will not. If no apology is ever exchanged between us, then that is not any deal at all. He has everything he will ever need. His life will not be stalled because of one justification that never was."

His core became weak and he let himself fall face first onto the deck. He felt himself be turned onto his back by Yugi. The boy looked down on him with concern. "Jack, are you okay?" The boy asked as he gently shook the captain's shoulders. Jack grunted in response. His fingers gripped the tip of his hat and he pulled it over his eyes.

"Let him sleep." Jack heard Yami say. "We have more important things to do than watch our dear captain make a fool of himself." Yami's voice was laced with malice and disrespect.

"He could be hurt." Yugi argued, feeling concern for Jack.

"He's fine. I'm sure the die-heart captain has had worse."

Yugi didn't have a rebuttle. It was probably true. A man of the sea would have faced worse injuries than falling on his face. Jack had probably been attacked by another ship, or maybe he had once been shot. There was no telling what kind of injuries he had once sustained, but whatever they were, they were probably more serious than a bruised face. Yugi hung his head and came up to his feet. Jack heard the sound of their footsteps walk away. His heart was in pieces, but he did not cry. The salty water that tried to slip out from his eyelids never made it because Jack did not cry.

He couldn't. If he did, it meant he had given up and Captain Jack Sparrow did not give up. And if a few tears happened to find a way out, no one would be there to see them, so had he acutally done it?

-0-0-0-0-

**Reviews:**

**Aqua Girl 007: Characters like Joey, Tea, and Tristan will be mentioned and included in flashbacks, but they won't be making an appearance. There will be one more Yugioh character, but that person won't show up until later in the story. Like you saw in this chapter, Yugi and Yami's past is slowly being revealed. The entire truth won't come out for another few chapters though. Sorry for leaving you in suspense!**

**Kairi: Don't you remember what happened in The Curse of the Black Pearl? You never get inbetween Jack and his rum. Will is smart enough to only say something, he won't acutally get involved. **

**Deadpoolhulk: Never get inbetween Jack and his rum!**

**Sage: Learned that one the hard way, did we?**

**I can still feel the burns...**

**Assisian Massie: Yami isn't very trusting, so i think it's only natural for him to be pissy. In fact, I dont think he's really being pissy. Since Yami isnt trusting, he uses intimadition to scare off people he thinks are dangerous. I think it's acutally kind of sweet!**

**Yugi: It gets annoying.**

**I'm sure it does!**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I love hearing from my readers, so please, leave a review and tell me what you think. I want to hear from some new people as well as my loyal readers!**


	4. A Dream From The Heart

**So the plot begins.**

**Sage: This thing has a plot? That's new.**

**Hey! There are a lot of stories on fanfiction that have a plot.**

**Sage: Really?...**

**...A good fraction of them do.**

**Sage:...**

**..Okay, so a lot of them don't! The point is mine does, so hah! Stick that in your juice box and suck it!**

**Sage: I'd really rather not...**

**Yugi: Anyways...Pirates of the Carribean is property of Walt Disney Productions. Yugioh is property of Kazuki Takahashi. DarkHeartInTheSky is in no way affiliated with eitheir of these people. Now, please enjoy the story!**

"If we continue to travel east, we can make it to France in just a few weeks." Will said proudly, looking at the map laid out before him. Elizabeth was to his right, and Yami and Yugi were to his left, all of them looking at the map. Will's fingers were on the Caribbean Islands and his eyes were looking at the spot that represented Europe. "We can get married there." He said to Elizabeth. Elizabeth smiled sweetly as she put her hands on top of Will's shoulders.

"That sounds wonderful, Will." Elizabeth said. "I don't care where we get married, as long as we get married."

Will nodded in agreement. "If all goes well, we should dock in about a month." The four of them were standing in the captain quarters with the map drawn out on top of the circular table that lay in the middle of the room. Four pairs of eyes were locked onto the piece of parchement, staring at it like a foreign animal.

"If we have the weather on our side, we can maybe make it in three weeks." Will commented.

Yami and Yugi exchanged glances at one another. They were glances of shock, and disbelief. Without saying anything, Yami and Yugi got up and left the captain's quarters. Will and Elizabeth either did not notice their absences or they just did not care for they said nothing as the duo exited. Jack was still sleeping on the dock when they came out, and they ignored him. They made their way to the sleeping quarters so they could talk in private. Yugi sat down on his hammock and Yami stood by the stairs. He looked up them to make sure no one could hear, then he spoke.

"When we dock, we're leaving."

Yugi looked at him, surprised. "What do you mean leaving?" He asked, his voice dropping serveal octaves than what it normally held.

Yami shrugged. "Run away, I suppose. We cannot stay on this ship forever. The farther east we go, the more likely they will hear about us. Once they hear about us, they'll either kill us or abandon us, so we might as well leave while the option is still ours."

"Maybe they won't find out." Yugi tried to reassure.

"That's not a risk we can take, Yugi." Yami said in an almost shouting tone. "If we leave once we hit France, we can move around as needed. We cannot run while aboard this boat."

Yugi nodded and fell back onto the hammock. "Why do we have to run?"

"You know why." Yami said sternly. "A ship sounded like a good idea, but we must remember that we are going to be traveling all around the world. It will only take one person finding who we are, where we came from, for our entire cover to be ruined."

"I get that, but how long must we keep running? I'm tired of it. I want to go home."

"So do I, but right now we just can't. There is nothing for us back in Domino anymore anyways. You know that. As for how long must we keep running, only time will tell. It will be best to assume the rest of our lives. You know how much he," Yami stopped for no apparent reason, then resumed, "You know how much he likes to play with his prey. It doesn't matter if it takes the next millennia, he will not surrender until he wins."

Yugi swung around in the hammock like it was a swing. It swayed left and right and Yugi digested Yami's words. He was right. There was nothing back in Domino for them to risk their lives to go back. They were probably better off taking their chances running amuck in a city they knew nothing of then trying to go back home. They had done a horrible, unspeakable, deed. If the punishment fate dealt them was not being able to go home, then so be it. If their enemy wanted to play cat and mouse, they didn't have much of a choice. They would have to either comply with his demands, or met him head on which would ensure their death. Yugi bit his lip. Given all that had happened in the recent weeks, option two didn't sound that bad. It would guarantee a quick death. But, things could be a lot worse, after all. They had been. Yugi sighed and glanced up at Yami who seemed to be expecting an answer.

"What do you want me to say, Yami? That you're right? I know you're right and you know you're right. There is nothing to say."

Yami frowned and sat down on the same hammock as Yugi. His feet were long enough to touch the floor and it stopped the hammock from swinging. Yugi looked up at his companion with an indifferent gaze. He was tired and was not in the mood to hear one of Yami's speeches. He knew his friend meant well, but sometimes he just plain annoying. Yami continued to remain in his silence for a few moments longer, until he sighed. "You are right, Yugi. There is nothing to say."

He turned to leave, but Yugi stop him. "Wait." The boy said softly. Yami turned around to face his friend, whose head was down with shame. "There is a lot we need to talk about, Yami, a lot that needs to be said. In the last few months, you haven't said anything about what happened."

The silence fell over them again as Yami stared through Yugi's eyes. He grunted, then replied, "There is nothing I have to say." He then turned and left, not giving Yugi the chance to defend himself.

Yami returned onto the main deck where Will and Elizabeth were standing over the unconscious captain.

""Is he hung-over?" The ex-blacksmith asked as he came over.

Yami shrugged. "He's just sleeping as far as I know."

"Well, when he wakes up, tell him we've decided that our destination is indeed France." He turned to face Elizabeth and nodded his head at her. "Once we get married, we will find a home in France and Jack can either stay with us or continue to live the life of a pirate. Whatever he chooses, we will not be staying on this ship."

Yami looked up and met the man's eyes. "You're not staying?"

Will frowned. "I think I just said that." He said in a downfall way.

Yami was annoyed by the way Will had addressed him. He spoke to him like he was an ignorant child. It took every cell of willpower for Yami to keep calm. Instead, he waved Will off with his hand. "You can tell him."

"I am not the cabin boy." Will said soulfully. A flash of anger ran through Yami's eyes. His vision began to narrow and for a moment, all he saw was Will. In a second he was on his feet and staring, Will straight in the eye. He could see through the other man's soul, and while Yami saw no intended evil, he did see arrogance and a deep will to find something lost. Yami wanted nothing more than to punch the first mate, but his better judgment told him otherwise. Yami took a deep breath and swallowed his pride. Will looked into Yami's eyes as well, and for a moment, he feared for his well-being. While he was taller than Yami, he was not as quick or as agile. Yami was much thinner, giving him the power of speed, which was much more useful than strength.

"I will tell him as soon as he wakes." Yami said with fake endearment. Will smiled and nodded his and turned away. He was confused as to why Yami did not strike him, but he did not want to hang around long enough to find out. He took Elizabeth by the arm and pulled her to the front of the boat. She turned her head to face Yami and gave him an apologetic look. Yami stared at her, unsure of what to do. Deciding he better leave it alone, Yami ignored her gaze and turned around. Jack was beginning to stir, an indication that he was starting to wake up. Yami kicked him in the side gently.

"Wake up." He said. Jack's eyes didn't open, so Yami kicked him again, harder. "Wake up." He repeated. Jack's mouth began to move, but no sound came out. Yami couldn't make out the words his lips were forming, but he inferred the captain was dreaming. Growling, Yami kicked Jack as he hard as he could.

-0-0-0-0-

_The skies were polluted with green fog. Jack could barely see in front of his own nose as he stood at the helm of his pride and joy. The wind screamed as though it were in pain. It blew his dreadlocks in front of face, blinding him for a moment. A gust of wind came directly at him and it blew his off clean off his head. _

_"My hat!" Jack yelled. He left go of the wheel and ran after the flying object. It landed softly in the middle of the boat. Jack bent down and picked it up, replacing it back onto his head. He grunted as he did so, and then stood up. Jack turned around to go back to the helm, and stopped in his tracks. Elizabeth was standing in front of him. She gave him a seductive smile and motioned with her hands for him to come forward. Her brown hair was braided and pinned behind her head in a bun. She was wearing a beautiful wedding dress that went passed her ankles. She had large, bushy sleeves on that went down to her wrist. On her third finger of her left hand was the ring William has proposed with._

_"Jack." Elizabeth said sweetly. "Come here." _

_Jack, unsure of what to do, followed her commands. He found himself mesmerized by her beauty. It was as though she were Calypso and he were Odysseus. She held him captive with her beauty by making him forget about all else that lie in the world. He walked until he was standing right in front of her. Elizabeth smiled, and placed her right hand on Jack's left shoulder. She used it as a brace and pushed herself up onto her tiptoes. With her free hands, she grabbed Jack's hat and placed it on her own head. Jack felt his mind go blank at this sight. A bride wearing a pirates hat was one sight he would never have thought to exist. _

_"Yo ho yo ho a pirates life for me." She sang. Her voice entered Jack's ears and he felt her hot breath on his neck. The hairs on it stood up in lust. To his dismay he found himself placing his hand on her hip, and the other on top of her, elegant shoulder. Elizabeth grasped Jack's hand and held it out to the side. She stepped forward and placed her head onto of Jack's chest. Jack felt her soft hair pressed so tightly against his hard abdomen and suck in air until his lungs could hold no more. He felt his head being coaxed forward and before he knew it, his chin was on top of her head,_

_"We pillage, we plunder, we rifle and loot, drink up me 'earites yo ho." Elizabeth sang as her feet began to side step. Jack found himself moving along with her and he wasn't sure if he should be thrilled or appalled. This was the woman he had fallen in love with, the woman he spent days with marooned on an island, the woman he had saved! But, this was his best friend's fiancée. What kind of friend was he if he was playing around with Elizabeth? And why was Elizabeth coming onto him? It seemed very out of character for her; she seemed like she was so in love with William. Why would she toss away his love like it was nothing?_

_And where was William? And the cabin boys? He hadn't seen or heard them._

_"We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot, drink up me 'earties yo ho." _

_"Elizabeth," Jack began, "what are you-_

_Elizabeth pressed a finger to Jack's lips and shushed him. "Yo ho yo ho a pirates life for me." She closed her eyes and pressed her lips against Jack's. Jack felt warm pleasure shot through him along with sheer terror. He pushed her away roughly and she fell a few feet away on bottom. Jack began to pant heavily._

_"Elizabeth!" Jack shouted. "What are you thinking? You're engaged to William!"_

_"Oh, let's forget about Will for a moment and focus on us." She stood up as though nothing had happened and smiled sweetly. She moved in for another kiss, but Jack moved out of the way._

_"Forget about Will?" Jack shouted. "You're in love with him, aren't you?"_

_The green fog suddenly got a lot thicker and the wind began to howl like a devil._

_"I may be in love with him, and then again" her brown eyes met his, batting away eyelashes both of them found themselves in the others eyes, "I may be in love with another." She finished as her fingers began to crawl up his chest ever so slowly._

_Jack brushed them away like a fly. "I can't in good consciousness do this, Elizabeth. Will loves you." Jack could not believe what was coming out of his mouth. Elizabeth was wanting to be with him, and here he was speaking of how she belonged with Will. He should be overjoyed. He was getting what he wanted, wasn't he? She was his heart's desire, wasn't she?_

_He did want to be with Elizabeth…right?_

_"Love is a two way street, Jackie. It only gets you hurt if you aren't careful with it." She winked at him and slightly stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth. Her words began to sink into Jack. She was right. Love was a fragile gem that could easily break if you weren't careful with it. Someone always gets hurt in the end because of love. There was a loud boom the cracked in the air that came from somewhere over the horizon. The couple looked over to the where the noise had come from, but saw nothing. _

_Suddenly, Jack felt a searing pain rip through his side. He cried out in pain and fell to his knees. His inside felt like they were on fire and for moment, Jack was sure he would die. He gripped the painful side, in hopes to lessen the hurt,, but he found it did nothing. Elizabeth covered her mouth in terror and she fell to her knees. Jack felt himself being turned onto his back and tears began to slip out of his eyes. He felt his hand being removed from his side and he heard Elizabeth gasp._

_"Jack, you're bleeding." She said fearfully. Jack looked down at the hand that had held his side and was amazed at the amount of crimson blood on it. His entire hand was blood-stained. His eyes averted down and saw blood seeping out of his wound at a tremendous rate. He smacked his lips together and tasted blood there. The metallic taste ran down his throat and Jack's body went into defensive mode; it was a last minute attempt to rid his body of the foreign object. He began to cough severely; his life source dribbled down his chin. He was bleeding out. If he didn't stop it, he knew he'd be dead within minutes. His breathing became labored. Jack felt Elizabeth pick up his hand, and then he felt another hand on his head. He looked up and saw Yugi, the younger cabin boy. Tears were in his eyes and his lower lip was trembling. He held Jack's head protectively in his hands. _

_"Please don't leave us, Jack, please don't." The boy pleaded. Jack tried to focus onto the boy's words but found his vision and hearing fading. Another sharp pain entered his side, followed by another. Neither were as bad as the initial pain, but he still groaned in discomfort. Hot tears fell onto his hair and ran down his forehead. He was to weak to wipe it away. Jack felt his eyes close and he heard Yugi and Elizabeth scream._

-0-0-0-0-

Jack shot up; his hat fell off his face. He was panting and his first reaction was to examine his wound. His hand went to the ailing side, but found nothing. Jack felt nothing but skin, and immediately relaxed. It had only been a dream. He fell onto his back and looked up at Yami, who was standing above him.

"We are heading to France." He said bluntly.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Why France?"

"Will and Elizabeth want to get married there." Yami turned to walk away, but Jack grabbed him by the ankle. Yami turned his head to face him.

"Nothing unusual happened while I was sleeping, right?" The dream had seemed so real. Jack had trouble believing it had only been an illusion. It had to mean something.

Yami shrugged. "That depends on your definition of unusual." With that he pulled his ankle of the captain's grasp and walked away. Jack watched him go for a moment, before he sat up and rubbed his sore back. The hard, wood deck was bad for his back. Jack scolded himself for being stupid enough to let himself fall asleep here. He should've gone down to the brink, where all the hammocks were. Instead, he let himself lie down where pain would be found.

An idea occurred to Jack. Maybe the searing pain he experienced during his dream was his subconscious telling him about his aching back. It was a realistic possibility. His body was hurt, so his mind sent him the message. But why then had Elizabeth been coming onto him? Yes, Jack did have feelings for her, but he knew where her feelings lied. They were with Will, not he. Maybe it had something to do with his love for her, his wishing for her to want to be with him, that brought on that illusion. That also made sense. Jack wanted Elizabeth to love him, so his mind drew up just that.

But then, there was also Yugi. The boy had been crying in his dream, asking him not to leave. What could he have meant by that? Jack sighed as he stood up, stopping halfway to stretch out his back.

"It's best be left alone." Jack muttered to himself. "It was just a dream, after all. If it means anything, it means I need falling asleep on the damn deck." That was probably it. The dream did not seem to hold any meaning that would affect him as a person. He quickly ran dream through his head to see if there were any small details he could've missed, or might not have paid very much attention too. He had almost finished running it through his entire mind when he remembered thinking something in his dream.

_He did want to be with Elizabeth…right?_

Jack found his hand reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small, red box. Jack clicked it open without thinking. The dial inside felt the lid pop open and it began to spin in a clockwise motion. It did one rotation before bobbing between the north and east directions, not stopping.

Jack's eyes watched the needle as it wandered and he felt a sudden emptiness take residence in his heart. Elizabeth was on the ship. The needle should be pointing towards her. Instead, it was not pointing anywhere.

"What do I want, then?"

**Reviews:**

**Yugi Moto: Ask and you shall receive! You shouldn't have to worry about updates; I am doing my best to be consistent with a weekly update. If for some reason I go one week without adding new chapter, I assure you there will be a good reason behind it. **

**Aqua Girl 007: Sage: Did we confuse you?….Good! **

**We like to keep up a sense of mystery throughout our stories. What you saw last chapter was a flashback. I will be including more of them as the story goes along, but it probably won't make sense until much later in the story.**

**Assassin Massie: Same thing as what we told Aqua Girl 007! **

**Deadpoolhulk: Jones is weird. Possibly weirder than Jack.**

**Sage: Really? **

**I said possibly!**

**Sage: Whatever. **


	5. Bickering Among Friends

***EDIT*: I am really sorry about not updating last week, but I have an excuse! As I'm sure many of you have noticed, was down for the last week and would not let anyone updating or publish their stories. Upon surfing the Internet, I found a solution to this devesating problem! For those of you still experiencing this problem, follow these instructions: Click edit on the story you want to update. The error page will pop up. Look up at the URL, ir should say something like 'story_edit_property". Change property to **

**Chapter 5 already? These last few weeks seem to be going by fast.**

**Sage: What about your readers? I doubt time is going by fast for them.**

**Like their lives depend on me updating a crappy fanfic.**

**Sage: It could. You know those super crappy, error filled fanfics written by the I-Don't-Need-To-Work-On-My-Spelling authors we come upon way to often that make you want to shoot yourself?**

**Yeah...**

**Sage: Well..if you update someone might do that to themselves.**

**Hey, at least I make an effort for my stories to have correct spelling and stuff.**

**Sage: Sure you do. **

**...Here is the next chapter. Please read and enjoy while Sage mysteriously disappears. **

-0-0-0-0-

Lord Beckett looked out of the window on his office and inhaled the air. With his arms crossed behind his back, Beckett admired the city. Commoners went about their business, buying and selling goods, while he sat back and watched the people pretend their common life held any meaning. A small nightstand stood to his right and it held a wine bottle along with a glass. Without looking, he poured himself a glass and replaced the bottle. He held the glass between his pointer and middle fingers. The glass was brought up to his lips and he let the wine slip through them, quenching his throat. He had made the right decision to come to France. The East India Trading Company would profit greatly by making this stop. All he had to was sell the silk and spices he had obtained for more five times what he had himself purchased them for. People would foolishly think they were getting an excellent deal and would buy the goods at the ridiculous price. Morons.

Beckett smacked his lips together as he savored the bitter,berry flavored wine. Beckett cringed as it descended down his throat. It tasted good, but the bitterness left a stain of flavor in his mouth. The wine was one of France's own exports, though Beckett did not understand why they would dare sell such fine quality liquor. It was so marvelous, why would they want to share it with the rest of the world? Giving away your merchandise is not how you get away in the world; the way to succeed it to take what is rightfully yours without an apology or a mourning thought. You do not give away your goods, you keep them for yourself and everyone else was just another sucker in the world. It was like the old saying children liked to use, 'finders keepers, losers weepers'. The pirates lived by that motto and they had everything they could ever want. They had this because they weren't afraid to steal. That was the only thing the pirates had done right.

"Pirates." Beckett thought, frowning. Pirates were what had gotten him into this mess. Pirates were what had stopped him from marrying Elizabeth Swann, pirates were what had him lose his job with the governor! It was all because of one pirate in particular...

"Sparrow. When I find you, I'll find the longest noose possible, making your death a very slow one." The thought of Jack dying, made Beckett smile. It was only human nature to make the one who made you suffer, suffer as well. Revenge was the reason people today were still alive. If they just left matters alone, the one who did them wrong would only continue to do them wrong. Jack had ruined Beckett's life and it was only fitting that Beckett would ruin Jack's own life; by taking it. He hadn't just come to France to trade. France had one of the biggest treasuries in the world, and where there were treasuries there was money. Money was a beacon to pirates and Jack was no exception.

Sooner or later, Jack would come to France. Beckett was willing to wait as long as it took to get his prize. He took another sip of the wine. It tasted sweeter than before. Beckett smiled. Of course it would taste sweeter. Revenge was always sweeter.

-0-0-0-0-

"Faster!" Jones cried to his crew. His had yelled the command, and yet he was barely heard over the screeching wind and the splashing of the heavy rain. His boots sloshed as the advanced closer to the helm of his ship; he had in his claws a whip. "Faster!" Jones repeated as he rose the weapon in his hand and brought it down with all his might. It hit the deck of the boat with such intensity, it whiplashed and nearly hit the captain in the face. The crew was unfazed by Jones' outburst; they were a burden they had come to bear. Jones approached the helm and shoved one of the crew men down.

"Put your back into it, your worthless worm!" Jones spat. "Weeks we have been traveling and we are no sooner approaching our destination than Sparrow is handing over the Pearl!"

The crewman he had hit, Sharkman, slowly came to his feet. "We are closer to our destination than we were weeks ago!" He rebottled. "We are not even sure if Sparrow is headed that way! Why bother our time and effort on a hunch when we can save it for a guaranteed mission?"

Jones growled and brought the whip up behind his shoulder. He flung it and the cord struck Sharkman in the cheek, ripping off a large piece of flesh. Despite his best efforts, Sharkman could not hold in his scream. He fell to his knees in agonizing pain, clutching his injured face.

"You dare question my motives?" Jones spat and he leaned forward, getting into Sharkman's face. "I am the captain of this ship, and I say what goes. Sparrow will go to France because Sparrow is a greedy fool." Jones growled and his beady squid eyes focused on his crewman. He lifted his large claw and smacked Sharkman so hard, the blow sent him flying backwards about a dozen feet.

Jones turned around to face the rest of the occupants on the ship. "Anyone else have any question?" He asked with malice. Everyone kept on a mask of indifference and said nothing. Jones snorted and made his way to his quarters. He did not bother to see if Sharkman was alive or not.

Jones' quarter was a medium-sized room with a small, circular table in the center. There was a bay window on the port side and a small seat stood below the window sill. The floors were hardwood and full of mold. It reeked of salt water and mildew, but the scents had no affect on the captain; there were an aroma he had come to get used too. Next to him, by the door, was a world map. Jones turned to face and study the map, taking out a pen as he did so.

France had been circled on it, along with some various marks of where the Flying Dutchman was currently sailing. Jones made a dot about three inches away from France and dated it.

"We are only about a week away." Jones thought proudly. "In one week, we will port in France. From there all we have to do is wait for Sparrow." Jones chuckled deeply as he imagined the empty cell in the under deck occupied by the only pirate ever to have survived an encounter with the dreaded Davy Jones.

-0-0-0-0-

"_You're greatest adventure is about to unfold, young one." The Egyptian man said in his monotonous tone. _

"_W-what are you saying?" Yugi asked, his voice trembling as he found his feet puling him backwards. _

_Shadi shook his head in disapproval. "I cannot give you the details. You must find that out on your own. But I can say that you will be forced to find yourself this time."_

"_What about Yami?" Yugi asked, his thoughts immendentily going over to his spirit friend. _

"_This adventure is one you must take yourself." Shadi warned. "Destiny has decided that you must come to terms with your own identity. To figure that out, you must venture out into the world without the Pharaoh. _

_Yugi felt his heart drop into his stomach. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He would have to do something without Yami? The ancient sprit had accompanied him on every adventure for the past three years. To go on somewhere without Yami would be like signing a death warrant. Everywhere Yugi went, he somehow always got into trouble and required Yami's help to get out of it. There was no way Yugi could himself out of a dilemma. Was there?_

_Yugi bit his lip as he tried to fight back the tears. He couldn't do something without Yami; he wouldn't. _

"_I-I can't do anything without Yami's help." Yugi admitted as he hung his head._

"_You do not know your self-worth." Shadi said, his voice sounded almost sad. "You have an outstanding amount of courage. You just need to believe in yourself to find it." _

_Yugi looked up to rebuttal with the Egyptian, but he found that the man was gone._

"_S-Shadi?" Yugi said into the empty room._

"_Yugi?" A voice called from behind Yugi. Yugi turned around and saw Yami standing in the doorway of his soul room. The spirit was looking at him with a confused look residing in his eyes. _

"_Yugi," he repeated, "Who were you talking too?" _

_It was an honest question, but Yugi found himself hesitating to answer. He didn't know how to tell Yami about Shadi and his predications. If he did tell Yami, the spirit would become overprotective as he watched out for this unknown danger. Another reason Yugi found himself not answering was because he didn't know how. Shadi said that Yugi would have to go on this next adventure by himself. Yugi wanted to believe that he was brave enough to follow through with this, but he didn't think he could. He did not want to explain his self-doubts to Yami; the spirit would chastise him on how foolish he was being, and no matter what the spirit said, Yugi would never see himself the way Yami did._

"_No one." Yugi said as he stared Yami in the eye. "I was talking aloud to myself." Yugi felt guilty immendentaitly for lying, but be thought it was in his and Yami's best interest. Yami stared at Yugi for a moment, and for a moment Yugi was afraid that Yami wouldn't believe him. Yami was silent the entire time he stared at his partner. _

"_Is everything alright?" Yami asked after a minute._

_Yugi was taken aback by Yami's statement, but he kept his fear as best hidden as he could. "Y-yes. Of course." Yugi said. "Why wouldn't they be?"_

"_I thought I sensed another presence in your room." Yami said as his eyes scanned the soul room. The walls were painted a bright, yellow, and the carpet was as white as snow. All across the room, toys littered it. There were some board games, some action figures and stuffed animals, and dozens of stray cards were scattered all around. The room mirrored Yugi's soul; it was one of a child. Innocent and pure, both objects seemed to be in order, but Yami was positive he had sense something abnormal. Yugi didn't seem to have any reason to be lying to Yami, so the spirit was left to assume he was wrong._

"_Okay." Yami said. "I thought I sensed a dark presence, but I must just be paranoid." He turned and left, not giving Yugi anytime to reply. _

_He gulped as he watched his best friend go to his own soul room. A tremendous amount of guilt fell onto Yugi's shoulder and he found himself falling to the floor. He had just lied to his best friend, the one person on Earth he should be able to trust with anything, and vice versa. Questions were flying around in Yugi's mind at incredible speeds. Had Yami seen past the lie? Why didn't Yami push further? Normally the stubborn spirit pressed on any issue until he got the answer he was looking for. So, had Yami really believed him? _

_Yugi felt hot tears run down his cheeks. He was supposed to go on some grand adventure all by himself. He was scared by this. He didn't want to have to do anything by himself. The fear of failure was one that had haunted Yugi since he was a child. The one person he should have been able to express those fears with, the one person who would never think of him any differently for his tears, he had just pushed away. _

_What had he done?_

-0-0-0-0-

Yugi woke with a start, almost flying from the hammock he had been sleeping in. He was breathing was quiet, but labored as cold sweat ran down his face. Yugi found it hard to breath as he was swallowing and choking on air. He clutched his chest and could feel his rapid heart rate. After a few seconds, Yugi was able to calm down and his body relaxed. He feel back into the hammock and brought his knees to his chest.

The day had been almost a year ago, but it was still vivid in his mind. Shadi, like always, had been extremely vague about the details in Yugi's adventure. With all that had happened in the recent year, Yugi had hoped he had already went on that, but there was one crucial detail that always made his doubt. Shadi said he would have to go on this adventure alone, and Yami had been with Yugi throughout this entire ordeal. Yugi still hadn't told Yami what about Shadi; he just didn't know how he could. Yugi knew it was unwise to keep secrets, especially from a friend, but some things are just better left alone. It may not be fair or smart, but it was keeping him and Yami safe. That fact alone was enough for Yugi to keep this memory to himself.

He heard the soft sound of footsteps on the upper deck and that was when Yugi realized Yami was not with him. Frowning, Yugi sat up and got out of the hammock. His eyes looked all around. Elizabeth and Will were in the set of hammocks beside Yugi, and Jack tended to sleep in the crows nest, but Yami was nowhere to be found. Quietly, so he would not disturb the couple, Yugi walked up the steps that lead to the main deck of the Black Pearl. A wind picked up and chilled the boy. Yugi shivered and wrapped his arms around himself to increase his inner body temperature. He mentally wished he had never torn apart his jacket; it would come in handy about now. Silently, Yugi looked up at the sky, and for the first time in almost a year, he was amazed by their elegance. Thousands of them littered the sky; each shining bright enough to light up the midnight sky. The moon was large and pale as she took center stage in the sky.

Yugi was awestruck by their galore that he did not know his feet were moving until he hit the wall. Yami stood to his right, the wind blew his hair into his face. The older boy did not seem to take notice of his partner's presence, and Yugi waited for him to acknowledge it. This trip was difficult for Yami more so than Yugi. The Pharaoh had come to terms with the reality that there were some evils he just couldn't fight off. Yugi had been only a witness to the eternal conflict his partner was involved in, but he knew enough to be aware of the damage it was inflicting on Yami. He was thin with dark circles under his eyes. His hair had lost some of it's lust and fell lazily into his face. He had become quieter than normal, which concerned Yugi. The boy had often tried to bring up the dilemma, but Yami refused to acknowledge anything was wrong with him. A few minutes passed by in silence, and Yugi gave up hope of Yami finding his way out of thoughts alone.

He sighed, then hung his upper body over the railing of the boat. "You'd never see anything like back in Domino." Yugi commented.

Yami turned to face Yugi; a blank expression was plastered over his features. He blinked a few times, then averted his gaze to the sky.

"It is impressive." Yami replied.

Yugi ran a finger back and forth around the railing. He watched his finger move along the wood, amazed at the smoothness of it. "Do you think they're happy where they are?"

Yami was hesitant with a reply. "We-we shouldn't really discuss that topic, Yugi. It would not be honoring them."

"But," Yugi said, tears forming in his eyes, "wouldn't it be a dishonor to them not to talk about it? We can't pretend it didn't happen."

"And we are not." Yami snapped as anger flooded in his veins. "We know what happened, Yugi. That doesn't mean we have to dwell on about it. We have our own problems we should be addressing. We cannot afford to live in the past. What's done is done. There is nothing we can do except go on with the rest of our lives and pretend we did something meaningful with them. Until then, you should be content with what you do know, and not focus on what could have been."

"We need to talk about it, Yami!" Yugi pleaded. "It's eating you from the inside and you know it. You think you need to be punished because of what happened. You won't sleep, you hardly eat, and even worse," Yugi turned his face away so Yami wouldn't see his tears. "Even worse, I feel that I've lost the only friend I have left."

Yami stiffened at those words, but made no attempt to form a rebuttal with Yugi. The boy walked back down to the sleeping quarters, not bothering to hide his tears anymore. Once Yami was sure he was gone, he punched the railing of the boat and cursed.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" He muttered to himself. He leaned his elbows on the railing and pulled at his hair. "All he wants is to feel accepted, like how they made him feel, and you can't even do that!" Growling, Yami leaned back and gazed at the stars. They sparkled one by one in a straight pattern. His stomach rumbled and Yami put a hand to it. He felt his ribs poking out his skin for the first time. He had never really thought about it before, but Yugi was right. He was starving himself. He was purposely depriving himself of sleep. Yugi saw something Yami didn't see. He was punishing himself. But, the difference was, Yami knew he deserved to be punished. Yugi thought that Yami held no blame in what had happened, choosing to think it was he who deserved the blame. But that wasn't true at all.

"Joey, Tea, Tristan," Yami whispered the names with dear respect and remorse. "I am sorry." His body began to tremble with sorry and he envisioned the faces of his friends. He could see Joey's blonde hair and winning smile, he could even hear the boy's stupid laugh. He could picture Tea and her short, brown hair and rosy cheeks. He could hear her fighting spirit. He saw Tristan, with his go-get-it attitude and a sense of protection for his friends.

Yami sniffed. "I failed you all. I swore my allegiance you, just as you had with Yugi and I failed you. And now, Yugi's slipping away from me. And I fear, I am pushing him away. He needs you guys. I need you guys. I-I shouldn't have gone through with his deeds. I should have listened to you all and let the matter go, but my pride got in the way. What kind of protector am I when I place my charges in danger on my own will?" Yami looked up at the sky as if he were expecting an answer. The stars seemed to be uninterested in his pleas, for they had dimmed down, as though they had fallen to sleep. Yami fell to his knees and pulled them to his chest. He wrapped his arms around them protectively, and buried his head in-between in knees. He let the tears fall freely, not caring who was there to see. His pride had gotten the most important things in his life taken away from him as though they were nothing more than random rocks found on the ground. He no longer had any pride to lose, and if that's what it took to keep the last thing in his life safe, it was a small bargain. He would apologize to Yugi later. Right now, he needed to sleep. He did not the next time he could grant himself such a privilege.

-0-0-0-0-

_"Oh, look! It's little Yugi, playing one of his stupid games yet again!" The bully teased as he his shadow cast down across the smaller boy. "Don't you get tired of acting like such a baby?"_

_Yugi did not reply. He kept his attention focused on his GameBoy checkers. He had the advantage over the computer opponent and was close to winning._

_"Hey, kid!" The bully yelled. "I'm talking to you!" With his large beefy hand he snatched the gaming device out of Yugi's hand in one swift motion. Yugi turned around to face the bully. _

_"Hey! Give that back!" He whined as he stood. _

_The bully held the game out in front of him and examined it. "Checkers? I thought you'd at least be man enough to play a more violent game."_

_Yugi bit his lip and he watched the bully's fat fingers play with the buttons on his game. "Please, Ushio, give it back."_

_"Please?" Ushio mocked. "Please? Are you asking me to give it back, or are you telling me?" _

_"Give it back!" Yugi shouted as he lunged towards the bully. He grasped on tightly around his arm. _

_"Oi! Let go of me, you little brat!" Ushio screamed as he tried to shake the smaller boy off of him._

_"Not until you give me back my game!"_

_Screaming, Ushio flung his arm backwards as hard as he could and he felt Yugi's grasp slip. Smiling, he pulled his arm forward with such a strong force, Yugi relquinshed his grasp and slid a dozen feet on the hard pavement. His clothes were tattered and his face was scraped and bleeding, but Yugi did his best not to make a sound. Ushio approached him with the GameBoy held firmly in his hand. He stood over Yugi for a moment and glared at him. _

_"Next time," he said as he hands turned the game onto his side and grasped them firmly, "you are better off asking me." He shoved the game down to the ground where it bounced. The battery pack came out in two pieces and the checkers game was nothing more but microchips when they hit the ground. The acutal GameBoy was still intact, but it was the screen was covered in scratches. _

_Ushio turned and left, not even giving a glance back at Yugi._

_Snivling, Yugi crawled to where his broken game lay and picked it up delicately in his hands. He looked around and saw that other kids had witnessed Ushio recking his game and had done nothing. No one came over to help the young duelist. Yugi turned his head so they wouldn't see him cry. "I wish," he said softly, "I wish for a true friend. Someone who…will stand up for me and want to be with me. I what someone who will help me be stronger. I want someone. Anyone." Yugi hung his head and brought the game pieces to his chest. _

_Yugi rarely acted out in rage or anger, but that did not mean he did not have these feelings. Right now, he felt anger at Ushio for destroying his game, and sadness at himself for not being able to stand up to him properly._

_If just one friend could prevent him from having to be bullied, he would willing give anything, anything, to met that one person._

_He just hoped that one person existed._

-0-0-0-0-

Shortly after that day, Yugi completed the Millennium Puzzle and he met that one friend. Yami had protected Yugi from everything. To this day, Yugi still did not know what happened to Ushio….

Now, it was like everything he had come to know within these past few years was slipping away. Yami was angry at him for some reason, Yugi had to leave his hometown, a place he had never left before, his other friends had left him as well, and everything that could go wrong, did. Everything he had worked so hard to make was gone in less than a minute. Fate was not one to take for granted. Lately, Yugi felt like she had abandoned him.

"Yami," Yugi whispered, "I am sorry for angering you. If you don't want to talk about…them, then I won't mention it ever again." Even if it means forgetting they ever existed.

**Reviews:**

**Assassin Massie: Sage: Sorry DarkHeart is slowly killing you from the inside. She does that sometimes.**

**Says the girl who keeps Yugi locked in her closet.**

**Sage: I do not!**

**Yugi: Help! Help, please! Somebody!**

**Sage:...No comment.**

**Kairi: Glad you're liking it!**

**Aqua Girl 007: Sage: FIne. I won't answer your question now. You're just gonna have to wait and see.**

**...That's what she said she would do. **

**Sage:...Well, we are on the same page then.**

**..*sigh***

**Thanks everybody for the reviews! They make my day!**


	6. Words Hurt More

**Welcome back to this epic tale!**

**...**

**Ahem. You're probably wondering where Sage is with her beginning- of- chapter-snide comments. All I can say is, she mysteriously disappeared. *Phone rings* Oh, hold on a sec. Hello?**

**Sage: Tell them the bloody truth!**

**I was trying not to embarrass you.**

**Sage: By telling them I'm dead?**

**I didn't say dead. I said mysteriously disappeared. There is a difference.**

**Sage: Tell them what happened, or I swear to Ra I will shove the Millennium Pocket Knife through the receiver and slit your throat!**

**Okay! Okay! Sheesh. No need to get violent. Okay, everybody. Since Yugi got locked in Sage's closest last chapter...again, he has gotten a restraining order against Sage, stating that she has to remain at least 500 feet away from him. And, since Sage is a moron-**

**Sage: Hey!**

**She violated that order and now has to spend 30 days in jail. So, you won't be hearing much from her for that time. She only gets thirty minutes of phone calls a week. There, I told them. Happy?**

**Sage: Yes.**

**Now, on with the story!**

-One Month Later-

It's surprising how fast time can pass by when you don't pay attention to it. Minutes can easily dissolve into hours, which dissolve into days, and so forth into weeks. Hours can seem like mere seconds if you let them. If you have nothing to look forward too, time can pass you by at the speed of sound as well.

This is how the past few weeks felt for Yugi. He and Yami were still distant ever since the fight they had, even though it occurred thirty days ago. The two would speak on a level of indifference; they had not had a real conversation since that night. Yami seemed content with the silence, but then again, that had always been Yami. Cold, distant, hostile...

Yugi sighed as he brushed away a lock of hair that had fallen into his eyes. His grip tightened on the broom he was holding and he felt himself beginning to lean onto it. The hot sun beat down heavily onto his bare back, and not even the beads of sweat running down his skin were adequate enough to cool him off.

Yugi bit his lip as he began to sweep the deck again. He was hired as a cabin boy and keeping up matience was his job. He had to admit though, he had it better than Yami. His partner was down in the cellar clearing out the rat traps. Yugi couldn't even think about disposing the bodies of dead rodents without cringing. The rats would most likely be beheaded and their corpses drenched in blood. Their eyes would be open, but they would be empty and lifeless.

"Just like them..." Yugi whispered mournfully. Yugi looked down at his hands. The bloodstains had long been washed away from the surface, but they still ran inside his veins. Their dead faces still haunted his dreams and even now, after several months, Yugi still found himself waking up in tears, screaming and grieving for the friends he'd lost. Yugi shook his head. He needed to stop living in his memories of the past. Right now, he had to focus on what was important: His safety and Yami's safety.

Yugi swept up the dirt and dust that had accumulated on the Black Pearl's deck. He scooped down and picked up the dust pan that sat by his feet. He grabbed the neck of the broom and pushed all the debris he had collected onto it. When he got all of it, Yugi stood up and threw all of the collections off the edge of the boat. They soundlessly fell onto the surface of the water, only to be carried in different directions by the waves and currents. Yugi watched the ocean for a moment, half tempted to climb onto the boat railing and dive in head first.

He didn't have anything to live for anymore. The only thing he had left was now falling apart right in front of his eyes. His friendship with Yami was what had given him the motivation to maintain his sanity. Now, that was hanging on by a thread, if it was still there.

'Would Yami even care if I did it?' Yugi thought grimly. He and Yami hadn't been on good terms ever since that confrontation a month ago. He put a shaking hand onto the rail. 'I could do it. It would just one jump, that's all.' Yugi found his other hand letting go of the dust pan and also grabbing the edge of the boat. He leaned forward until his nose was touching the outer side of the boat. His waist line was right on the edge, and all he had to do was relinquish his grip and be down with it. He found his fingers slowly letting go, when suddenly he found an intense sense of fear overcome him. In an instant, he pulled himself forward and back, landing harshly on his butt back onto the deck.

Yugi panted heavily as the shock of what he had almost done came through. He had almost killed himself.

The idea wasn't foreign to him. That had been an option open to him since before he completed the Millennium Puzzle. But, that was the closest he had ever come to actually doing the deed. Yugi clutched his chest where his racing heart lay underneath and swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Yugi?"

Yugi jumped up at the voice and instantly turned around.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean to startle you." Elizabeth apologized softly.

"Oh..no, no!" Yugi stuttered. How long has she been there? Had she seen what he almost had done? "It's o-okay. I just wasn't expecting...I thought I was the only one out here...Weren't you with Will and Jack...oh, never mind!"

Elizabeth giggled at his embarrassment. Yugi raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing." Elizabeth replied. "It's just...you're not much of a people person, are you?"

Yugi laughed humorlessly. "What was your first clue?" He asked sarcasticaly. He mentally sighed in relief. It didn't sound like she had been there long enough to have seen what almost happened.

Elizabeth walked towards Yugi and sat down next to him. She drew her knees to her chest and laid her hands by her hips. "You act so docile towards Will, Jack, and I. But," her eyes met Yugi's, "you always seemed to have a connection with your brother."

"Really?" Under normal circumstances, Yugi would understand the statement. But as of late, it surprised even him that a connection still existed.

Elizabeth nodded. "Mhm. The first few days you guys were here, he rarely left your side. I thought it was kind of cute, the way he loomed over you, acting like even the smallest thing in life would cause you harm."

Yugi scratched the back of head. "Yami's always been overprotective. It gets annoying at times."

"Where did that go? Now, I notice you guys don't really talk. It's like you two are purposely avoiding each other. Why?"

"Something happened in our lives that's...shaken us." Yugi said, unable to find the right wording. "We are on two different levels about what happened. I want to talk about it, he doesn't. So, to avoid confrontation about it, we've been avoiding the situation entirely."

"That does not sound wise." Elizabeth commented.

"It's not." Yugi agreed. "But, Yami's not one to open up about how he is feeling. He thinks showing any emotion other than anger is a sign of weakness."

"Then you need to tell him he needs to open up to you. Honestly, what's the worst that can happen? You too can either make up or get into an even bigger fight. He's already not talking to you, so you have nothing to lose."

Elizabeth's words made sense. Yugi and Yami were on bad terms as it was. Making him talk would only provide one of two outcomes: They make up and go back to their business, or they could continue to avoid one another. Either way, there was no loss.

Yugi exhaled deeply and closed his eyes. "Okay. I'll talk to him."

Elizabeth smiled and hugged Yugi closely. "Oh, that's so wonderful!" She let go of the younger boy, slightly embarrassed by her actions. "When are you going to talk to him?"

"Now's a good a time as any, I suppose."

Elizabeth nodded and helped Yugi to his feet. "He's in the under deck."

Yugi nodded his thanks and walked to where Yami was. He stood outside the entrance for a moment, before he took a deep breath, and took the first step down the stairs.

-0-0-0-0-

Yami felt bile rise up in his throat and he picked up another dead, beheaded rat and threw it into the wooden bucket. The blood from the dead rodents was on his palms and Yami wanted nothing more than wash the filth away. It reminded him to much of what happened to his friends. The thought of them brought another round of bile up his throat, but Yami was able to suppress it. He glanced down into the bucket: a total of six dead rats filled it.

'How the hell do half a dozen rats sneak onto a boat?' Yami thought as his entire body tensed up in disgust. Ra, Yugi got it easy. All he had to do was sweep the deck; he did not have to come anywhere close to disposing these dead bodies.

But Yami could not really complain; he had volunteered for this task. He did it to get away from Yugi. Ever since they're...mishap, a month ago, Yami had done all he could to avoid his partner. It was incredibly hard since they were on a ship and had nowhere to run, and the duo had not discussed their runaway plans once they docked. Yami wasn't sure if they would even go through them now.

He did not want to talk to Yugi, but he would not abandon his friend. The boy was still in a poor emotional state. Leaving him would be just like handing him a loaded gun, and Yami could not, no, he _would _not lose his only friend left. If he lost Yugi, he had no reason to continue living himself.

Yami sighed and dropped the bucket as he sat down on a hammock. Yami wanted to talk to Yugi, but he did not want to talk about the things Yugi wanted to discuss. It was not healthy for them to talk about such gruesome topics, even if they were relevant to their lives.

Yami heard footsteps coming his way and looked up. Yugi was standing in front of him, his eyes averted down to his feet.

"Yugi." Yami said blankly. Truth be told, he did not know what to say. Yugi's arrival was unexpected.

"Y-Yami." The younger boy stuttered as his eyes met his friend's.

"Is there something I can do for you?" Yami asked slowly. This whole situation was incredibly awkward.

Yugi walked over and stood in front of Yami. His eyes spotted the bucket and rats and he cringed. "Uh, nice rats." He said with disgust.

"Yeah, I should get rid of those." His hand went down and grasped the handle.

"Wait." Yugi said. "You and I, we are talking about this. Now." The assertiveness in Yugi's voice was alien and it was hard to take him seriously when he used it.

Yami sighed in frustration. "We've been over this, Yugi. We are not talking about this and that is final." Yami grabbed the bucket and handle and stood up. He walked past Yugi and to the stairs.

"Who died and made you God?' Yugi asked with malice. He was sick and tired of Yami acting like he could just walk away from his problems. Yami acted like he could control Yugi, and the younger boy had come to the end of his rope. Yugi was an adult; he didn't need people telling him what do, especially his friend.

Yami turned and faced Yugi. "What are you talking about?"

"Ever since...it happened, you've been acting like you can control me! You think you know what to do, but you don't!"

"Yugi," Yami began, "you are not making any sense!"

"Then let me sum it up for you! You drag me onto a boat that goes God knows where, with pirates, pirates Yami, and you refuse to even discuss small talk with me! What about our plan to run away in France? Are we still going through with that? Or did the all mighty _Pharaoh_ change his mind once again?"

"Yugi, what are you implying?" Yami found himself hurt by Yugi's words, but also angry.

Yugi shrugged. "Nothing. Just that you were once Pharaoh. You were used to people obeying your every demand, so it's only fair to say that you would expect people to do it for you here in this time. Only here's the thing: we're not in Egypt! You are no longer Pharaoh, and you have no control over me!"

"Control?" Yami repeated, infuriated. "Is that what you think I care about? That I have control over you? Yugi, that is in no way true at all!"

"Really? Because it seems that lately you have been very controlling. It was your idea to bring me halfway across the world, it is you, trying to control what I do and do not say. It is you who decides whether or not we talk and what we talk about. That seems like you want control to me."

"Well, you are free to think what you want, but the fact remains that I am doing this for your well-being!"

Yugi's eyes widened. Yami still thought he was unable to take care of himself. Yugi clenched his fists and bit down hard on his lip. This was the final straw. He had enough of this treatment and wasn't going to take it anymore.

"Stop it!" He screamed. "I-don't need you babysitting me anymore! Whether you want to accept it or not, I'm an adult, and I've grown up exceptionally these last few weeks. So, you can forget about my 'well-being' long enough for us to have a civil conversation!"

"So it's a civil conversation you want?" Yami said icily. "You want us to sit down and discuss our feelings? You want pure honesty on how I think and feel?"

Yugi relaxed a bit. "Y-yes." He stuttered.

"Fine!" Yami shouted, looking at the ceiling with his arms raised high, like he was praising a deity. "You want honesty? I'll give you honesty. You're a scared little kid who's afraid to stand up for himself. You still rely on your friends to give you support. You can't do anything on your own; you're a clingy annoying, little kid who needs to man up and go on with his life, and stop relying on others for protection."

Yugi felt tears enter his eyes as Yami spoke. Is that really what Yami thought of him...Yugi closed his eyes and sniffed. His lower lip trembled and his body went into tremors.

"See? There you go, crying like it's going to solve anything." Yami commented snidely.

Yugi took a deep breath and met his partner in the eye. The verbal abuse had hurt, but not enough to make Yugi run off crying like a kid. If Yami saw him as a scared little kid, then he would just have to prove him wrong. Yami reacted in anger to make people think he was strong; Yugi would do the same to give the same impression.

"Go straight to hell." Yugi said softly and clearly, before running past Yami, making an effort to push the older boy out of the way, before running up the stairs.

He came onto the main deck, tears fresh in his eyes. Elizabeth was waiting for him expectantly, a smile plastered on her face.

"Yugi! Yugi, it's wonderful! Will's spotted France! He's seen land; we'll dock in just a few hours!"

Yugi nodded stiffly. "That's...great." He said, his mind still stuck on the conversation he had with Yami.

"Oh, Yugi..how did your talk with Yami go? You're crying."

Yugi sucked in some air through his teeth. "Let's just say, we're on a deeper level of understanding one another." He said.

Elizabeth smiled and wrapped her arms around Yugi's neck in a friendly hug. "That's wonderful! Friends shouldn't fight; it's just not right."

"Yeah.." Yugi agreed. "Friends, real friends, don't fight."

Was Yami a real friend?

-0-0-0-0-

"Go straight to hell." Yugi said before coming at him, shoving him against the wall, and ascending up the stairs. Yami rubbed the shoulder that had come in contact with the wall; it didn't hurt, but it was going to bruise.

Yami cursed himself. How could he have said those things to Yugi? The boy just wanted someone to vent his feelings too, and instead he got the worst verbal lashing of his life. What kind of friend was he? He didn't really think those things about Yugi..his anger got the best of him and found control of his tongue. Now, the boy's self-esteem was lower than ever before, and their friendship could never get over this one conversation.

It would take a while before they even got comfortable enough to talk to one another again. Yami sighed and ran a stressed hand through his hair. Should he go back and talk to Yugi now?

'No.' Yami thought. Now was not a good time; they needed some time apart, some time to dwell on the words that had been exchanged before they could even think of talking again. Groaning, Yami fell down to the ground, covering his face with his hands. He was ashamed of what he said. If only he could take it back! God, why did he have to be so stupid?

"Yami!" A voice from behind him called. For a moment, Yami thought it was Yugi, coming back to make amends, but when he turned around he saw Jack standing behind him.

"Oh. Hi, Jack." Yami said flatly, before turning back around.

Jack frowned and walked down to his co-worker. "Is something troubling you, lad?"

"No, Jack. Everything's fine and dandy here in the middle of the ocean, where you can't get away from people you need to avoid."

"Goodness, lad. I'm not that terrible, am I?"

Yami groaned. "Can you please, just leave me alone? I need some time to think."

"Sure thing, lad. But, I thought I'd tell you that we be reaching our destination by sunset. It's been a long journey, and you and your brother will have the opportunity to walk around on land for some time. We will watch Will's and Elizabeth's wedding, then walk around in France so a while, and then come back to the sea."

Yami nodded softly, not really paying much attention to what the captain was saying. He didn't really care that much that they were close to docking. There would be too much commotion with the first mate and his fiancée getting married for him and Yugi to find any time for him to apologize. If they boy even allowed him such an honor.

'I royally screwed up.' Yami thought, just now noticing that Jack was still talking.

"-a lot of sights in France. Have you ever been there?"

'I thought I asked him to leave.' Yami thought bitterly as he bit his cheek in efforts to keep the thought from becoming verbal.

"This is the first time I have ever left my home country." Yami answered. "I have never seen anything other than Japan."

Jack nodded cluelessly. "Well, visiting other countries is an amazing experience. I remember my first time sailing off to a distant land-"

"Can you please, just, leave?" Yami said, exasperated. "I-I need some time to myself to think, and I can't do it with you breathing down my neck!"

If Jack had been hurt by Yami's comment, he did not show it. "Alright, lad. As you wish." He stood up and went to the main deck, leaving Yami all alone once more like he deserved.

**Yeah..sorry for the OOCness here. But, that argument plays an important role to the story, so please don't hate me for it!**

**Reviews:**

**Kairi: My lips are sealed! But, I'm glad you like me detailing! Normally, I think I suck at it.**

**Assassin Massie: You really think so? I'm glad you think this is good. Actually, this is really the only story I can re-read after posting a chapter and not scream, "I wrote this piece of sh-"**

**Yugi: Let's keep the rating at a Teen, okay?**

**Fine.**

**(): Glad you're enjoying it!**

**DeadPoolHulk: Hm, you know, I never really thought about it, but you're right. Shadi does always seem to appear right before some freaky stuff goes down. **

**Aqua Girl 007: Don't I do a wonderful Yugi-Yami torture? ^_^**

**Aminalluvr4life: Glad you like it!**


	7. Paris?

**Whew! Long chapter. The longest I've ever wrote, actually. Not including AN's and review replies, this chapter is seven thousand words. I'd noticed a lot of you guys are going to my devin-art profile to talk, but I'd like to say that I don't go there often. If you want to talk with me, PM me here instead. That way, I'll actually get back to you. *phone rings***

**What do you want, Sage?**

**Sage: Nothing. I just want to bother you.**

**I'm kind of busy at the moment.**

**Sage: Exactly.**

…**Because of the length, there is a lot of back-and-forth between settings. I hope this doesn't bother anyone. This chapter is where the plot begins, so I hope I did a good job on it.**

**Sage: You? Do a good job? Bahahaha! You make me laugh!**

**That's it. I'm hanging up. And I'm not bailing you out either! **

**Sage: Wait! N-**

-0-0-0-0-

After over a month of being held captive to the Black Pearl, it was as though they had landed in heaven when the pirate ship finally docked. Jack has proved he was smarter than he appeared, for he ordered the Jolly Roger to be brought down and hidden somewhere in the boat's many quarters. Yami questioned the existence of the Jolly Roger. What was the point of the flag if it was just going to spend its days in storage? It was not his business though, so he said nothing about the issue.

Since his argument with Yugi the previous night, things had been rather awkward. The two did not speak this morning when they saw each, and Yami did not know where Yugi spent the night, for he was not in the sleeping quarters. Yami noticed that his partner's eyes were bloodshot, and dark circles took residence underneath them. If Yami had known better, he suspected that the boy did not sleep at all, wherever he was. Yami hadn't either. He spent most of the night beating himself up about the things he told Yugi. He wanted nothing more than to run over to his friend, wrap his arms around his neck and apologize, but the fear of rejection prevented Yami from doing that deed.

The boy did not even speak to Elizabeth this morning, and Yami noticed how close Yugi had become with the woman. He did not know what Yugi found so interesting about the maiden, but he did not say anything about the relationship because it was not his business. Frankly, Yami didn't care for any of the fools aboard the ship. Jack was mental, Will was a bastard, and Elizabeth seemed to be stealing Yugi away from him.

Yami shook his head at the last comment. Yugi wasn't his. Elizabeth wasn't stealing Yugi from him. She had offered Yugi friendship and the boy graciously took it. Granted, he would have accepted it even they hadn't been in the position they were, but the boy seemed to come out of his shell when he was with her. Yami witnessed a side of Yugi he hadn't seen in months whenever he was around the woman.

"You okay, lad?" A voice said and it brought Yami out of his thoughts. He saw Jack standing beside him with an empty look in his eyes.

Yami nodded as he observed the captain. "Yes, Captain." He said respectfully, even if he didn't feel any towards the man. "I have been waiting to step foot on land for weeks."

Jack nodded. "You haven't gotten yer sea legs yet. Once you do, you'll dread coming onto land. Bad things happen on land."

"Bad things happen at sea."

Jack closed his eyes and smiled. "Ignorance is bliss, boy. Trust me. I've been sailing since before you were born."

"I doubt that." Yami thought spitefully, remembering he was born over five millennia ago.

"I have rarely seen a bad thing happen at sea." Jack continued. "Not many people can handle the lifestyle I chose. They prefer the luxury of land, but in reality land is much more dangerous. Weapons are made on land. Weapons start wars."  
"Many wars have begun at sea." Yami pointed out.

"They wouldn't have if the weapons used to start that war hadn't been forged."

Yami sighed in frustration and ended the conversation by not replying. Jack did have some good points, but he just did not understand the difficulties Yami was having right now. He needed to talk to Yugi as soon as possible to discuss their plans of running away. Yami had given it much thought and decided it was best he and Yugi followed through with their initial plan to run away. Their was tension between them, but they could get over that once they got a safe distance away from Jack. They would have to do it in such a manner they would not draw attention to themselves, so it couldn't be before or during the wedding. If Jack allowed them to wander the streets of Paris on their own for a while, then that would be the perfect time to execute the scheme. But, if Jack did not allow them to sightsee, or worse, came with them, the entire plan would be ruined.

Yami felt something shift against him. His eyes went into that direction and he spotted Yugi standing next to him with his head down and bangs shielding his eyes. Yami wanted to reach out and speak with him, but felt that now was not the best time. He would just have to wait until he felt it was the right time to approach Yugi. As for now, he would have to be content with the fact that Yugi was willing to stand next to him.

"Are we all ready to leave ship?" Jack asked, proudly. Will and Elizabeth both exclaimed, "Let us off already!", as they shoved their way past Yugi and Yami and to the edge of the boat.

Jack appeared offended by their eagerness to get off the ship, but he said nothing. Instead, he grabbed the large plank that had been lying the by the side of the ship since the beginning of their departure, and placed it over the edge for everyone to walk down on. The docks of Paris were bustling with sailors and traders from just about every country. Yami heard at least five different languages just from walking down the dock. He could not understand any of it, but the diversity of the city gave him an adrenaline rush. If people from all over the world stopped by here, maybe people from all over lived here. If that were the case, Yami's hopes of fitting in this city rose, along with his intuition that he and Yugi needed to abandon their posts at the Black Pearl. Yami glanced over at Yugi, whose head was still kept low to the ground, avoiding all eye contact with anyone. Yami mentally sighed. How was he suppose to talk with Yugi, when it was obvious that the boy did not want to converse with anyone? Yugi may be willing to talk with Elizabeth. She was the only person on the Black Pearl that he had come to befriend. But, Yami couldn't talk to Yugi through her. That would not only be cowardly, but it would reveal their plans.

But, if Will and Elizabeth were planning on leaving the Pearl anyways, maybe it wouldn't matter if they knew of Yami's plan. None of them seemed to be on good terms with the captain, so it was unlikely that they would expose Yami just to spare Jack's feelings. Will especially seemed to be short-tempered with the captain. Something occurred between to two to manifest such ill-feelings toward one another, but whatever did happen, Yami didn't really care. It wouldn't make a difference to him anyhow. Jack, who had been leading the group, came to a stop. He turned around to face his crew with a sad expression.

"Well, men." He stated somberly. "We will be in Paris for two days. I need to stock up on supplies for the Pearl. Will, Elizabeth. You two should go see if you can find a Chaplin to marry you. The sooner the better, I suppose. You two have been very…eager to be united in holy matrimony ever since the proposal." Jack swallowed a lump in his throat as he spoke. His eyes were not focused on anything in particular, but he did see out of his peripheral vision Elizabeth, clinging onto Will's shoulder like it was a life-preserver, and letting go would lead to her death. She was gazing into Will's eyes and he was doing the same to her. They looked happy. She looked happy. Even though the compass Jack had said it was his mind that wanted Elizabeth, not his heart, he couldn't help but think maybe the compass was wrong.

Every time he looked into her soft, brown eyes, Jack thought he would get lost in them. He awaited the times when he could speak with her privately, but he did not have any true alone time with her since they were marooned on that island. Even though his mouth had become dry, Jack continued to speak. "Come get us before the wedding. We will like to be guests at it."

Will nodded. "Of course. We wouldn't dream of getting married without you all."

Yami didn't seemed convinced that Will meant what he said. Maybe, maybe!-He meant it for Jack, but it was obvious that Will did not like Yami or Yugi. Yami was positive that the first mate couldn't care less about them. He and Yugi were like the kids from down the block that your mother made you invite to your party, even though you couldn't stand them. At least Will had the decency not to pout and scream about it. Perhaps he tolerated it for Elizabeth's sake. He had to know that Elizabeth developed a friendship with Yugi. Whenever she wasn't with Will, or doing her own chores on the Pearl, she was with Yugi, trying to coax him to talk back. She would ask the sort of questions someone would ask when they try to make a new friend.

It didn't seem to be working, though. Yami watched from afar as she tried to get him to talk about his life. Where he came from, why was he here, the topics that Yami had ordered Yugi not to discuss.

"I guess I have been ordering him around." Yami thought regretfully. Thinking back, Yami could recall several times where he made a decision for himself and Yugi without consulting him about it. Yami ordered Yugi to run away with him, he ordered Yugi about what he could and could not talk about. He even ordered Yugi on how to talk. They did not talk in English to make it so that Jack and everyone could understand them, but instead so that they would not stand out in a crowd. They would speak in Japanese to each other, but only for brief conversations and most of the time Yami wasn't even aware that he _was_ speaking in Yugi's native language.

Yugi did make a very, valid argument last night when he stood up to Yami. He had a point when he said that Yami was treating him like a child. Yami didn't know why he did treat Yugi that way. He was well-aware how mature Yugi was for his age, and how much the younger teenage had been through recently. He had to pack up and leave his own country in a second's notice when he hadn't even ever left his home town. It wasn't fair in the least.

Yami sighed and glanced over at Yugi. He was still letting his hair cover his face and his eyes were still focused on the ground. Yami repeated the argument the two had last night once more.

"_Go straight to hell."_

Had Yugi meant those words? Yami bit his lip as he pondered the idea. Here was Yugi, the one person who saw good in every other person despite the misdeeds they may had done in their past. Even the ones directed at him. Yugi forgave the people who used to beat on him and steal his possessions just because he was smaller than they were. And Yugi forgave them all. It was possible Yugi was just speaking out of anger, like Yami had; but then again, it was possible that Yugi meant every word he said.

Yami realized the wrong he had done and prayed to the gods that the opportunity to beg Yugi for forgiveness would come soon. If it came at all.

"We'll all meet up back here around noon to go to the wedding." Jack said, bringing Yami out of thoughts. "Till then, feel free to wander Paris as you please."

Jack turned around and began to walk away from the shipyard and towards the center of the city. Will and Elizabeth quickly followed, leaving Yugi standing where he was.

It was just Yami and him now.

Yami swallowed a lump in his throat. It was now, or never.

"Yugi." He said quietly. "I am very, very sorry for last night. I didn't mean any of those things I said. Please, forgive me."

Yugi didn't respond. He didn't even look up.

"Yugi?" Yami asked as he came closer to his friend. Yugi slowly raised his head to face Yami. His eyes were shut tightly and Yami noticed how pale his skin was.

"Yugi, are you okay?" Yami asked softly.

"'m fine." The boy snapped. "'s not like..you care."

"Yugi, didn't you hear what I said? I'm sorry. I'm really am sorry."

"Sure..you are. 'S not like..you said I was a child or…anything."

Yami picked up on the pauses in Yugi's speech and frowned. "Yugi, is something wrong?"

Yugi opened his eyes and revealed that they were bloodshot. Yami stared at them in shock.

"Yugi, what happened to you?"

Yugi licked his lips slowly. "I..may..have stumbled..upon Jack's secret..rum stash..last night."

"You're drunk?" Yami shouted in disbelief. He never would've thought that Yugi would be one to experiment with alcohol, yet alone someone else's alcohol.

Yugi hissed in pain and covered his ears. "Not so loud!" He whined. "I'm not drunk. I'm hung over. It means I was drunk. There is a difference."

"Yugi, are you out of your mind?" Yami whispered, consciousness of the boy's sensitivity to sound.

"Why do you..even care? You voiced your opinion pretty well last night. Something about me being a kid? If you're going to treat me like one, I might as well act like one."

"Yugi, I said I was sorry." Yami pleaded, concern for his friend.

"And that's supposed to mean something?" Yugi asked, his voice was laced with malice. "You can apologize all you want, but the fact remains that you said what you think. You think I'm just some weak kid that you need to protect." Yugi pointed a finger and turned it onto himself. "I'm an adult. And after everything we've been through, I deserve to be treated like one."

Yugi didn't even wait for Yami to respond. He pushed himself past the older teen and ran off into the streets of the unfamiliar city. Yami watched in horror as Yugi ran out of sight. He had no idea where he was going! He could get lost, or hurt, or worse..

"He could find him." Yami whispered in fear. "He could be here." Instinctively, Yami looked around for his and Yugi's nemesis. They hadn't seen him for a while now. It was only a matter of time before they ran into him again. Today, their time could run out. Yami ran in the direction Yugi went, leaving the shipyard and entering the streets of the city of Paris.

The city was beautiful. They were vendors everywhere and people as well. The buildings were at least twelve feet tall, and each of them were covered in decorative windows. The thing that stood out the most were the actual streets. They were made up of dark brown tiles, each set in a diamond position that pointed towards the town center.

Yami panted as he ran, his eyes never stopped searching for any sign of Yugi, or someone else from the ship. He even ran into a few people, all of them were rather upset about it, as the mumbled something in their native language. Yami was sure whatever they said wasn't very nice, but he really didn't care at the moment. Right now, all that he cared about was finding his friend.

Yugi had no experience with drinking. Yami had never even thought that Yugi would consider trying alcohol. It didn't seem like something he would do. Yugi was sensitive to light and sound at the moment. If he wasn't careful, he could get himself into real danger. Yami shook his head. He wouldn't lose another his last friend. He continued to run.

-0-0-0-0-

Beckett was walking around the city. He stood tall and walked with his chin out, to state his authority. His beady eyes scanned the city for something out of the ordinary. Not that anything like that ever happened here. This city was really quite dull. Nothing interesting ever happened here. Beckett sighed. He really needed to clear his head and get some items of his life in order.

He continued to make his way to the chapel to go to confession.

Beckett wasn't a religious person in any aspects. However, he did believe in a deity and an afterlife. The fear of going somewhere to experience eternal torment wasn't enough for him to stop stealing from the less fortunate. He figured he could ask for forgiveness (even though he wasn't sorry) and all would be fine. As he made his way to the chapel, a young man ran into him. Beckett snarled as the kid continued to run away without an apology, as though he was unaware he had even run into Beckett. He shook his head in disapproval.

"What has happened to the youth of today?" He mumbled under his breath. Sighing, he continued his way to the church, when he heard a familiar voice.

"..dress is back on the ship. I'm going to go get it."

"Alright dear. Come back soon."

Beckett recognized those voices. He turned his head and was surprised at what he saw. Elizabeth was just a few in front of him, standing in all her beauty. She had her arms wrapped around William Turner and was going to kiss him. Their lips touched briefly before she released her grip and Will sent her away. Beckett looked around to make sure they had not seen him and then he ran after Elizabeth. He followed her at a safe distance all the way through the streets of Paris until he got to the shipyard. Beckett had to admit the Black Pearl did look well-maintained and luxurious. But, if the Pearl was here, where was the captain? Beckett bit his lip. If he saw Jack, all hell was sure to break loose.

Elizabeth was about to run up the platform and onto the ship. Beckett decided now was the time to make his presence noticed.

"Elizabeth!" He called out.

The woman turned, startled, turned around to face the voice. She faced the man who had been following here through the city. She squinted her eyes at first, trying to figure out who the voice belonged too, and then realization hit her. "Lord Beckett?" She asked, coming approaching the stranger.

Beckett nodded. "It is I."

Elizabeth smiled and ran over to him. "Lord Cutler Beckett? What on earth are you doing for far away from Port Royal?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

Elizabeth smiled and blushed. She pushed a bit of hair behind her ear and looked down. "Will and I are getting married here."

Beckett felt his heart drop into his chest. She was getting married here. To that low life blacksmith! Beckett ground his teeth together to keep his anger at bay. He forced a smile. "Congratulations." He said. "I'm very happy for you both." Beckett lied, but inside he was screaming. 'I'm too late! That no-good orphan bastard beat me to her! What does she see in him?'

"So what are you doing here in Paris?" Elizabeth asked.

Beckett shook his head to bring himself out of his thoughts. "I'm here on business. France has some very delicate products they want me to export. I've been here a few months, but I should be setting sail back to Port Royal by the end of the week, if all goes well."

Elizabeth smiled. "That's good news."

An awkward pause fell upon them. Elizabeth coughed. "Would you like to come to the wedding?" She asked.

"You're getting married today?" Beckett shouted in surprise. It was bad enough that she was getting married to someone other than him, but she was getting married today! That was unacceptable. But, Beckett could not deny the offer. Elizabeth was just being generous, like she always was.

"I'd love to go." Beckett said. It wasn't a complete lie. He did want to go, but he wanted to go so he could spend more time with Elizabeth, not see her wed another man.

Elizabeth squealed like a school girl. "That's wonderful!" She turned around and faced the Pearl. "Come with me onto the ship. I want you to see my dress!" She reached out behind her and grabbed Beckett's wrist. She half-dragged him up the platform and onto the ship. They reached the main deck, when they heard a soft sound. Elizabeth frowned and turned around.

"Did you hear that?" She questioned.

Beckett put a hand up to his forehead and scanned the deck. He heard the sound again. "It sounds like it's coming from behind the wheel." He said and pointed towards the mechanism that steered the ship. He quickly ran up to it with Elizabeth right behind him. They came up to it and stopped in their tracks.

"Yugi?" Elizabeth asked.

The young teen turned around to face the people who had come onto the ship. He saw Elizabeth and another man with her. Yugi suddenly became embarrassed. He used his sleeve to wipe the tears out of his eyes. He had come up here to be alone, not so people could see him cry like a baby. He ran away from Yami, but hid behind one of the crates on the docks. Once Yami had gotten a safe distance away from it, Yugi abandoned his hiding spot and came back onto the ship to be in solitude. He hadn't expected someone to find him so soon. He figured he could get himself together before the crew came back to the ship.

He needed the quiet. His hangover was killing him. Even the slightest noise sent a jolt of pain down Yugi's spine. But the pain wasn't why he was crying. He was crying because once again, he had given Yami a reason to consider him a child. He ran away after his fight with Yami because he didn't want to hear what the other had to say and last night he tried to drink his problems away. But, the thing that made Yugi feel really stupid was that he _knew _that drinking wouldn't solve anything, but he just wanted the pain to go away. The rum numbed the feelings he was experiencing which encouraged him to drink an entire bottle of the vile liquor. Yugi shivered as the wind began to blow.

"Yugi," Elizabeth repeated, "what are you doing here? Why aren't you touring the city?" Elizabeth walked over to her new friend and got onto her knees, looking deep into his eyes. Fresh tears found their way into the amethyst orbs. "Yugi, honey, what's wrong?"

"I..I wasn't f-feeling well." Yugi stuttered. "I..w-wanted to be al-alone for a while."

Elizabeth frowned and reached over to pull the boy into a hug. "What happened?"

Yugi sniffed. He really didn't want to recount his argument with Yami. If he did that he would have to re-live the pain of the experience all over. It wasn't that he couldn't trust Elizabeth; it was he didn't want to appear weak in front of her. He didn't want to admit he had lied to her.

Yugi told her everything went fine with him and Yami last night. If he told her what really happened, not only would she think he was a liar, but she would think he was a thief as well. A thief and a drunk. Yugi didn't have much as it was, but he did have the reputation he had set up for himself. He was going to continue living on this ship, he had to maintain that reputation, even if it was built up on lies.

But, his lie was bound to come out eventually. Yugi frowned. Maybe he could get away with telling only half the truth. He could tell about the fight, but skip the part about him drinking. It was only one bottle after all, and the crate it was in had at least another two dozen. Who would notice it's disappearance?

"Yami and I..we got into a really big fight last night." Yugi admitted.

"You said you two had resolved everything."

The pain in her voice made Yugi wince. "I lied. I didn't want you to worry about my problems. I wanted you to think everything was fine so you wouldn't focus so much on me and wouldn't think of me as a burden."

Elizabeth felt tears fill into her own eyes as Yugi spoke. She tightened her embrace around the younger boy she had come to consider a friend. "Yugi, you're my friend. I want to help you. You are not a burden."

Beckett felt awkward being around the two. He did not know this boy, but Elizabeth obviously did. He did not know why, but felt extremely jealous watching Elizabeth hug this boy. Why did he feel jealous? This kid couldn't be any older than, what, fifteen? The kid didn't even like the embrace. Beckett could tell from the boy's body language that he wanted nothing more than to be released, but he was to polite to say so. After a full minute of silence, Beckett couldn't take the awkwardness any longer. He cleared his throat.

"Elizabeth, who's your friend?"

Elizabeth looked up. "Oh, this is Yugi. Jack hired him and his brother to work here on the Pearl."

"For how long?"

Elizabeth paused as she thought about it. The boys started working on the ship the night Will proposed, so it wasn't that long ago. "About a month ago." She answered. "Though it doesn't seem that long."

Out of nowhere, the trio heard the sound of a cannon fire. Yugi and Elizabeth jumped out at the sudden noise. Elizabeth released Yugi as they made the transition to their feet and they both yelped in surprised. Everyone looked around to see the origin on the noise, but they didn't see anything out of the ordinary. After a minute, another canon fire was heard.

"What is that?" Elizabeth whispered, fear gripping her heart. Beckett looked over towards the edge of the ship and saw something over the horizon. There was something rather large and it was moving. Beckett walked over to the railing and squinted. He saw the object a little more clearly. It was in very bad ship. The masts on it were torn and it looked like there were holes in the side of the ship. It also was very green.

"It's a ship." Beckett said. "And, it's coming towards us!"

-0-0-0-0-

Davy Jones laughed as he pulled the string attached to the canon. It let out a large boom as he did so. There wasn't a cannonball in it. Jones didn't want to risk wrecking the Black Pearl, he merely wanted to make his presence known. The sound of the cannon would do just that.

Finally, after ten years he would obtain what was rightfully his: The Pearl. Jones frowned. The Pearl wasn't that great of a ship. It wasn't as large as his was, and since it had been in Jack's possession during that decade, it was likely that it was in bad shape. Now that he thought about it, Jones really wasn't after the ship. What he really wanted was the only man ever to survive an encounter with the farrier of the dead. Jack would make an excellent trophy. Jones was beginning to think of devious things he could do once he captured the pirate. He would not keep the man alive for long that was sure. He was loud and a nuisance. But, his soul was the real prize.

Most souls Jones ferried went straight to the Afterlife. But, Jones could see the means to make Jack's one of the unfortunate ones. Jones had the power to make Jack's soul a Wanderer, one that would never go the Afterlife. Instead, it would be forced to spend all eternity wandering the sea. Jones could do this with all the souls, but after time the sea would be nothing but those souls.

Jones couldn't allow the earth's water to be polluted with the dead. That would be neglecting his powers. If he was convicted of doing that, he would striped of his title and he would be forced to become a Wanderer himself, which was a fate Jones only reserved for the most despised souls. Jones licked his lips deviously. He pulled the rope a second time. The boom echoed only far enough for the passengers on the ship to hear. Finally, after weeks of chasing him down, Jones would get his prize. He would close enough to the Pearl to board it in just a few minutes. And, thanks to a little black magic, only people connected to Jack could see them. The bystanders of Paris would not be able to see the death ship or hear the boom of its cannon.

"Soon Jack, you will be mine." Jones growled under his breath. "Very, very, soon."

-0-0-0-0-

Yami stopped and rested his hands on his knees. He panted heavily as his chest heaved to refill with oxygen. He was dead tired. His legs felt like rubber and he doubted he could run another step. Yami looked up and scanned the city one last time. He had been around every corner, down every street, and he had not seen any sign of Yugi. Yami had no idea where to go. He didn't believe that Yugi had left the city. Yugi may be impulsive, but he wasn't stupid. He knew better than that.

Yami groaned. Maybe Yugi went back to the ship. It was a possibility, but how could Yugi have run around Paris and gone back to the ship without Yami seeing him? It didn't make any sense at all. Yami rested for a minute to catch his breath. Once his did, he stood up straight and decided he would go back and check the ship. It wouldn't hurt to look. And besides, Yugi would show up eventually. He would be there for the wedding. There was no way Yugi would stand Elizabeth up. She and he would friends now and Yugi was going to be there for her. That Yami knew for sure.

Yami started to turn around when he heard a familiar voice.

"Yami!"

Yami turned around and saw both Will and Jack running up to him. They both looked in distress and Will looked panicked. They had beads of sweat running down their faces. It was obvious they had been running hard and fast.

"Yami.." Will panted, "Have you seen Elizabeth?"

Yami shook his head. "I've haven't seen Yugi around either. I've been spending this entire time looking for him."

Will groaned and looked towards Jack. "She said she was going to get her dress off the ship, but she should be back by now! I should've gone with her." Will cried.

Jack sighed and patted Will on the back. "It'll be fine Will. She probably had a little trouble finding the dress. She's fine you'll see."

Will looked up at Jack. "You really think so?"

Jack nodded firmly. "I know so."

-0-0-0-0-

"Everybody, get down!" Beckett shouted. The ship was just a few feet away now and it was obvious it planned on crashing into the Pearl. Beckett turned around, draped his arms around Yugi and Elizabeth, and forced them onto the ground. "Shield yourselves!" Beckett commanded. Yugi and Elizabeth followed his demands by covering their heads with their arms.

"What's going on?" Yugi cried.

"The ship is heading towards us." Beckett answered. The words barely left his mouth before a large crash hit the edge of the ship. Everyone screamed. Beckett lost his grip on Yugi and Elizabeth. The vibrations of the crash sent the two spiraling to the edge of the ship. They each hit the wall with a loud thud. Yugi heard large footsteps jumping onto the ship. He could tell from the vibrations they sent that they were too large to be from the man that followed Elizabeth. They belonged to someone else. Someone large. Yugi instinctively covered his head with his arms, shielding himself from the unknown danger. Now that his eyesight was covered, his sense of hearing was increased. His ears picked up the sound of the strangers rummaging through the ship, searching for something. Off in the distance, he heard a voice call out.

"Damn it! Sparrow isn't here!"

"Why don' we just wait for him? He's bound to show up eventually."

"We don't have time! The Black Magic will only last for a few more minutes. When it wears off the townsmen will be able to see us as well! If they spot us then someone out there is bound to come about and help Sparrow!"

"What about them three, captain? Are you jus' gonna leave 'em here? They can see us. They know Jack. Maybe we could," The second voice paused for a moment, "You know? Get some hostages."

There was a quick pause before the captain responded. "Take them. At least this trip will not be a complete waste. I'm sure I can find a good use for each one of them."

Yugi felt a rough hand grab him from the scruff of the neck. His eyes were quickly covered, shielding him from finding the face of his attacker. Yugi was terrified now. These people were going to kidnap him! Yugi inhaled a large amount of air, filling his lungs to their max capacity and screamed as loud as he could,

"Yami!"

-0-0-0-0-

The three men heard the large crash from the town center. Panicked, each of them looked around, noticing the lack of response from the French people.

"Did they not hear that?" Will asked.

Jack shook his head. "I'm not sure, but it sounded like it came from the shipyard."

Will's eyes widened at the news. "Elizabeth." He whispered. Will shook his head in denial, and then realization dawned on him. Elizabeth had to be on the Pearl still. And the noise they heard had come from that direction. She was in danger. "Elizabeth!" Will screamed and took off running. Jack and Yami met eyes for half a second before they ran off following him. Will shoved his way through the crowds of people, not even bothering to spare an apology to them. His mind was only focused on one thing at the moment and that was the safety of his wife-to be.

Will couldn't believe it. Something couldn't be happening now. They were only hours away from getting married! She couldn't be hurt, she just couldn't be.

Will but his lip and started to swing his arms like pendulums to help him accelerate. He took steps as large as his stride would allow. Once or twice he even tripped over his own feet, but he never stopped moving.

Jack and Yami were only a few feet behind Will, running just as fast, but they were becoming tired and weary. They knew something had to be up by the docks. They had heard something, but the question was what? Yami glanced around, trying to search for Yugi. Had he heard the crash too? Yami doubted it. He, Jack, and Will appeared to have been the only ones to hear the noise. Why was that? Yami began to question his own sanity for a moment, when he smacked into Jack. The pirate captain has stopped out of nowhere, giving Yami no time for him to stop. He fell back and landed hard on his butt. Yami glared up at Jack.

"Why the hell did you stop?"

Jack didn't answer. Instead, he slowly pointed a finger up towards the sky. Yami craned his neck to look around him and saw another ship. It was right next to the Pearl and it was easily twice the size of Jack's ship. The Pearl didn't seem to have been damaged, so Yami doubted that the two ships actually collided. It appeared that this larger ship had rubbed itself against the Pearl.

"What is that?" Yami asked as he got to his feet. Will was only a few feet in front of them. His brown eyes were starting to water, and Yami saw his lips mouth the word, 'No', over and over again. Yami turned to look at Jack, waiting for an answer.

Jack met his gaze and sighed. "It's the Flying Dutchman. It belongs to the most foul pirate ever to sail the seven seas. Davy Jones."

"Isn't he just an old fairy tale?"

Jack became angry all of a sudden. "An old fairy tale? Why, boy I outta smack ya for yer ignorance! Davy Jones is as real as you. He ferries the souls of the dead at sea to the underworld."

"Then why is he here?"

"That's a good question."

Yami was about to reply, when a pained cry interrupted him.

"Yami!"

Yami spun around at the sound of the cry. He would recognize that anywhere. It was Yugi. He was on the ship! Then, the danger of where exactly his friend was dawned on him. Yugi was on the ship! "Yugi!" Yami cried as he shoved himself passed Jack. He made his way up to the ramp of the boat and Will was right behind him. Both men had come out of their cationic states and were ready to fight for the safety of their loved ones.

"Are you both mad? Jones and his men will kill you both in an instant!" They heard Jack scream, but they ignored him. What Jack had to say didn't matter at the moment. Right now, they had to fight. Yami came onto the edge of deck of the ship and was shocked by what he saw.

Monsters roamed the deck. They were mutant looking things, each one of them not quite human, but not quite sea creature. They were easily ten feet tall and they had raided the ship. Yami watched soundlessly as they took goods off of the Pearl and brought it onto their own ship.

"Yami! Help!"

"Shut 'im up, will ya? I'm tired of his screaming."

Yami turned around to the direction of the voices. He saw Yugi in the arms of one of the creatures. He had one arm around Yugi's eyes, blinding him and another one around the boy's waist, securing him into the monster's grasp. The other man who had spoken was only a few feet away from them. He had pink, scaly skin, and a beard made of tentacles. He wore a pirate's hat over his head and had a sword at his hip. Yami knew instantly who he was just by looking at him. It was Davy Jones. The one who was holding Yugi nodded gruffly, taking his arm off of Yugi's eyes for a moment, and he smacked the boy as hard as he could. Yugi's eyes rolled into his skull and he fell limp into the creature's arms. The creature then stepped off the Pearl and onto his boat.

"Yugi!" Yami screamed as he saw this happen. He tried to run towards his friend, but he felt someone grab his wrist and pulled him back and down. Yami turned to face his attacker, but saw that it was Jack who was holding him back. In his other arm, Jack also had Will.

"What are doing?" Yami demanded. "Let me go! They have Yugi!"

"And Elizabeth!" Will chimed in.

Yami struggled to break free, but Jack had him in a vice grip. "They have not noticed us yet!" The pirate hissed. "Going after them would reveal our location!"

"So we're just supposed to let them take Yugi and Elizabeth?" Yami snarled.

"If it means saving you own ass, then yes!" Jack whispered angrily. Yami could tell by looking into Jack's eyes that he was serious, but it didn't matter. He had to save Yugi.

Yami struggled to get out of the grasp, but he just couldn't. Tears formed in his eyes as the last of the intruders boarded the Flying Dutchman. Yami couldn't imagine what horrors were aboard there. He needed to get Yugi, he couldn't lose his only friend left.

"Maybe I don't give a damn about my own ass!" Yami snapped. "Maybe I just want to go and save my friend!"

Jack stared deep into Yami's eyes. "Maybe you should just worry about yerself. Friends always end up betraying you."

"Exactly! By not going after him, I am betraying Yugi!" Yami pleaded. He glanced over and saw the ship begin to move. His heart dropped into his stomach. He struggled to break free from Jack's grasp, but the old captain was surprising strong. Thinking fast, Yami took his free hand, turned around and smacked Jack in the jaw. The surprise attack knocked Jack downwards and his gave up his release on both Yami and Will. The two men ran towards the edge of the ship, ready to jump onto the Flying Dutchman, but they hadn't realized how fast Jack was. He had caught up to them in a split second and tackled them both to the ground. Yami hit his head on the hard deck. He cried out in pain. His head felt like it had been cracked open and his ears began to pound. His head throbbed, but each throb caused Yami a jolt of extreme discomfort. And the discomfort only caused more throbbing. It was an endless cycle, and all he could do was lay there. Jack had him and Will pinned to the ground and each were too weak to fight him off. Yami titled his head to the right slightly and was able to see the Flying Dutchman sail away. The vision in his eyes began to dwindle. He was forced to watch helplessly as dark circles consumed his eyesight and the boat carrying his friend headed off towards the horizon.

Yami blacked out.

**Reviews:**

**YamiFanGirl: The 10****th**** anniversary movie has come out where I live yet. It hasn't been completely edited yet for my society to 'handle'. Curse you 4Kids! Now, how was that for old fashioned pirates stuff?**

**Aminaluvr4life: Well…you were almost right. Yugi did leave the ship, but Yami watched. So Yami is well aware Yugi's absence. Ain't that right, Yami?**

**Yami:….**

**Oh, he's still out. Maybe next time you can talk to him.**

**Aqua Girl 007: Well, since I am still alive it must mean you didn't hate the last chapter that much. And you still feel sorry for Yami after all those horrible things he said to Yugi? Ah, you're nicer than me! But then again, I did have Yugi abducted by pirates….**

**Deadpoolhulk: Was that interesting enough?**

**Assassin Massie:…Please, control your yami. I really can't afford for Sage to get busted out of jail. If MeiMei wants, she can join Sage, but Sage doesn't need to be busted out. And you're right. Yami, you are an asshole! What do you have to say for yourself?**

**Yami:…**

**Still unconscious? Man..Jack, next time don't hit him so hard.**

**Jack: I get to hit him again?**

**Maybe…**

**Kairi: Sorry, Lisa. Right now, Yugi is having a picnic with Davy Jones. And Kairi, it might be a while before Yami and Yugi make amends..**

**Thank you for all the reviews! I love reading them! If anyone didn't understand this, PM me and I'll be happy to try and explain it. **


	8. Aboard the Flying Dutchman

**Doctor: We need an IV of saline stat! And get me a gurney! **

**Sage: Yugi, I came as soon as the bailer would allow me. What the hell happened?**

**Yugi: It's DarkHeart. She's sick.**

**Doctor: Chronic migraines, blisters on the fingertips, insomnia and rapid weight loss.**

**Sage: Do you know what's wrong with her, doctor?**

**Doctor: I'm afraid it's not good.**

**Yugi: Please, just tell us.**

**Doctor: Very well…she has….writer's block. **

**To Be Continued… **

-0-0-0-0-

He wasn't sure where he was or what exactly had happened. Yugi tried to open his eyes, but it was pitch dark and he couldn't see his surroundings. He tried to move some, but discovered that his wrists had been bound behind his back. Yugi softly goraned, but then everything that had happened hit him like a rock. He remembered the men grabbing him, and putting him on their ship, but he couldn't remember anything else. Yugi then became very scared. He tried to break loose of his bindings, but the ropes were drawn too tight and he ended up cutting deep into his skin. Panicked, Yugi called out as loud as he could.

"Yami!" He cried, hoping desperately his friend would hear him. "Yami, help!" When his screams were met only with silence, Yugi felt hot tears run down his face as he imagined what might have explained Yami's absence. What had happened to him? Was he even here?...Was he alive? Yugi shuddered as his mind conjured up the worst-case-scenario. Whoever had kidnapped him, they must've gotten Yami too.

"Yami!" Yugi cried one more time, hoping maybe his friend was nearby and would hear his plea for help. "No. No. No! No! No! No! No! He-he has to be here! He has to be!" Yugi's face felt raw against the wood it was lying on top of, and the blindfold was now sticking to his tear-stained face. He fell into a vicious cycle of hiccupping sobs as he came to the conclusion that his only friend left was dead. He had been through so much this last year. He had lost his home, his family, his friends, and now he just lost the last person on Earth who cared about him. He and Yami had gotten into arguments while on the Black Pearl, but deep down he knew they still cared about one another. Yami only wanted to protect Yugi, and he wanted to escape his other's constant smothering. It was that smothering right now that could have prevented this entire situation. Hours seemed to pass and Yugi continued to lay on that floor, bound and blindfolded. During that time, Yugi fell into a catatonic state. He was conscious, but his mind was like it was asleep. He just zoned out. Nothing brought him out of it for that time period. Not the sounds of the waves splashing against the boat, not the creaking of the floorboards above his head, not even the screeching of rats running past his head.

It wasn't until the sound of approaching footsteps came within earshot that Yugi returned to the world. He flinched when he realized that they were right next to him. Something that felt like a claw grabbed onto the back of his jacket and pulled him up into the air. Yugi screamed at the action and he heard a deep chuckle.

"Ye best learn to keep yer mouth shut, kid." The voice stated. "You be on my territory now, and I can do whatever I want with ye. I don't appreciate children." Yugi became petrified at the voice, then out of nowhere, the owner let him go and Yugi fell back down onto the floor. He couldn't help it. He screamed as his body hit the boards. Then, he felt the claw right over his eyes and it ripped the blindfold off. Afraid of what he might see, Yugi shut his eyes as tight as he could. He quivered when he felt the claw run along his face like it were examining him.

"You'll be a nice addition to the crew." The voice said. "You're perfect; young and weak."

The comment didn't bug Yugi as much as it would've under normal circumstances. Right now, he was terrified of what the person had planned for him. It couldn't be good from the way the voice sounded. Even though fear ran through his veins, Yugi found the will to open his eyes and face his kidnapper. He wanted to see what he was up against. What he saw shocked him.

Before him stood not a man, but something that resembled a sea creature. His skin was pink and scaly. He had a tentacle of beards and his hands were two giant claws. He wore a captain's hat on top of his head. The creature stared at Yugi maliciously and smirked.

"Welcome to the Flying Dutchman, my slave."

-Day 1-

The word slave echoed in Yugi's head. This..creature wanted him as a slave? Yugi couldn't believe it. He was a human being! He was nobody's slave. And if this fool thought he could get away with that, he had another thing coming.

An unusual surge of defiance came upon Yugi. He found the means to look his kidnapper in the eyes. "I am nobody's slave." The boy spat.

The captain chuckled. "Guess again, boy. You're on my ship, bound with nowhere to run. Even if do you manage to escape, which I highly doubt, there is nothing but water surrounding us. And let me tell you, drowning is a most unpleasant death."

Yugi was silent, immobilized by fear. He didn't know what to do. What could he do? This creature was right. He couldn't just run away. He could try to jump off the ship, but he wasn't that strong a swimmer, he didn't know how far land was, and he did believe his kidnapper about drowning being a terrible death. Was he just supposed to give into his demands? Yugi tried to wiggle out of his tethers once more, but the captain just laughed.

"Good luck trying to get of 'em, boy. I had my best man tie them."

Yugi stopped his struggling for a moment and looked up at his kidnapper. "Who are you?" He asked quietly.

The captain smirked and stood up tall. "I be Davy Jones. Ferrier of the dead and your new master."

Yugi shook his head in denial. "I don't have a master." He whispered, his voice cracking near the end.

"You do now, boy. I am your master and you are now my slave. Weather you choose to accept that or not really isn't my problem." Jones reached down and grabbed Yugi by the collar of his shirt. The boy cried out in surprise, and Jones seemed to take delight in it. Yugi's feet were dangling about the ground and his nose was at level with Jones'. The captain's beady eyes stared into Yugi's for a second before he grunted and threw the boy back to the ground. Yugi skidded a few feet and hissed in pain. His shoulder was raw and covered in splinters and he was so scared.

He was just so scared.

He didn't know what to do.

"It's time for you to see the other slaves." Jones said casually as he walked over to Yugi.

'Other slaves?' Yugi thought, confused. And then he remembered. 'Elizabeth! And that man! They were on the Pearl too!' But, where had they been while he was down here?

"I wanted to keep you separate from them because, well, yer different then they are."

Yugi could manage to let out an unintelligent, "What?" as a response. Jones had gotten over to Yugi now and he reached down to pick the boy up. Yugi flinched, and tried to move away from the claw, but his bindings wouldn't allow it. Jones grabbed Yugi by his ankle and held him upside down, high in the air. As all the blood began to rush to Yugi's head, the creature continued to speak.

"I can me eye on it; there's something different about you. It's not your nationality, it's more than that. You possess something powerful…you have what I hate to see in a human: A will to fight back."

Yugi was starting to become dizzy and nauseous from being held upside down. His face was flushed and he was starting to experience double vision. His heart began to pound in his ears, and Yugi was positive that if he wasn't put down soon, he would become very sick.

Continuing like he wasn't noticing Yugi's distress, Jones went on. "And I desire to break that will. It's the most pleasurable experience, I can tell ye. Watching someone give up their will. It makes you a changed man."

Suddenly, Jones grabbed Yugi by the shoulder and flipped him right side up. Saying nothing, Jones began to carry Yugi up the stairs to the main deck of the strange boat. As they got closer, Yugi began to hear the sounds of people cheering and the splashing of boots through water. He could hear the sounds of a celebration going on and could only imagine the horrors that were about to come. Jones had him facing the opposite way, so he couldn't see the top deck right away. But, once Jones got over the last step, he smiled wickedly at Yugi, revealing his many teeth. "Welcome to the family, boy." He threw Yugi to the ground, which was wet from rain. Yugi slid several feet this time because of the water on the deck. This time he slid on his back and Yugi cried out in pain.

"Look who finally decided to wake up!" He heard a voice call.

"He would've woken up earlier if you hadn't beaten him so hard!"

"I was only followin' orders!"

"Like hell you were! You nearly killed the boy!"

"Nearly is the key word."

Both voices began to erupt in laughter and Yugi cringed at the noise. He chose to keep his eyes shut, not wanting to see the other creatures abroad the ship. He was already terrified out of his mind, he didn't need to see anymore. He was just going to lie there with his eyes closed forever. Unfortunately, the sailors had other ideas.

One of them, who resembled a shark, walked over to where Yugi was lying and violently ripped his bindings apart. Yugi screamed in pain, but he got backhanded right in the face.

"Yugi!" He heard a voice yell. Yugi craned his neck and saw Elizabeth and the other man, tied up to one of the large poles that held up a mast. Her hair was messy and her face was dirty. The man's clothing was tattered at the shoulders, and his hair was lopsided, as though he were wearing a wig. The Sharkman snickered and kicked Yugi over to where the other two were. He rolled over and landed at Elizabeth's feet. Her eyes were wide with worry and fear.

"Yugi." She repeated. "Yugi, are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

Yugi couldn't find the words to speak. He was too terrified. His eyes darted around the ship. A light drizzle picked up along with howling winds. The crew was nothing but a bunch of monsters. Half sharks, coral growing out of their spines, one man even had gills. And the captain!-He was nothing but a walking squid.

And they all wanted him as a slave.

Yugi gulped and he could only shake his head in response to Elizabeth's question. He didn't know what else to do. His violet eyes darted around the ship, looking for Yami. The older boy had to be on the ship, right? Yugi bit his lip when he came across no sign of his friend. Yugi began to wonder if Jones had killed Yami and the others, but it didn't make sense. Why would he kill the others and not them? Or, why would he make them slaves, but not the others? It didn't make sense. The only reasonable explanation was the Yami and the others were still in Paris, they were still on the Black Pearl. Yugi's heart fell into his stomach. That had to be it. The Flying Dutchman crew didn't take the others. Yugi had mixed feelings. He was happy because Yami was safe, but then he was extremely distraught because Yami had allowed Yugi and the other two to be taken. Yugi felt hot tears began to prickle in his eyes and he made no effort to keep them under control. It didn't make much of a difference. Elizabeth looked down onto him with tears starting to form in her own eyes. She was just as scared he was. She was just as concerned for the safety of their friends on the Pearl as he was.

"It'll be okay, Yugi." She whispered gently. "We'll be fine."

"How can you say that?" The man beside her yelled.

Elizabeth shot him a glare. "They'll rescue us, Beckett. You'll see."

The man, Beckett, rolled his eyes. "We're captives on Davy Jones' ship!" He screamed, drawing the attention of the crew over towards the trio. "Who's going to save us? Sparrow? He's more of a coward than a frightened child!"

Elizabeth growled. "William will save us." She said with sincerity. "He's not going to just sit there and allow us the stay aboard this ship. He'll come for us."

Davy Jones began to laugh. "Ye sound fairly sure of yerself, girly." The captain said snidely. "The Pearl is no match for the Dutchman. This ship is easily more powerful than that little raft." His black beady eyes darted right at Elizabeth and he smirked. He turned to Sharkman. He motioned his head in their direction. "Release them. Then, give then their first assignment. The deck could really use some scrubbing." Jones walked past the trio and he entered a door by the stern. Yugi thought it had to be the Captain's Quarters. But, it didn't make sense why he would just leave. Didn't he want to see them suffer? He said so himself that he wanted to witness Yugi lose his will for the fight back. Why would he just get up and leave like that? It just didn't seem right.

Sharkman came over to Elizabeth and Beckett. He shoved Yugi out of the way with his foot. Yugi bit his lip to keep from crying out. He felt something pinch his leg and Yugi's eyes widened thinking about what it could be. The rest of the crew seemed to have lost interest in the new arrivals of the ship, for they all went about their business. Yugi looked around to make sure no one was watching him, then he put his hand in his pocket. He felt around in there for the object that had pinched his leg. He felt something heavy with edges. It was smooth, until he got to the center. It had a design on it. Yugi mentally gasped. It was the puzzle piece. But, didn't Yami have it?

Yugi frowned as he tried to remember how the puzzle piece came into his possession.

-0-0-0-0-

_His vision was blurry and his tongue felt fat in his mouth. Yugi's grip on the bottle tightened and he brought it back up to his lips. The rum spilled into his mouth and ran down his throat. He smacked his lips together and gently swayed on top of the crate where he found the rum. Yugi looked up. He was in the food cellar near the back of the ship. He had left the door open, so he could stare up at the stars. Or, that had been his intention. Now, the sun was just starting to rise, setting the horizon on fire with colors of orange and purple._

'_How pretty.' Yugi thought in his half-drunken state. He heard voices of Will and Jack, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. It didn't matter though. They were awake, and that's all Yugi needed to know. He stood up and hid the empty rum bottle behind one of the larger crates, moving it against the wall of the ship. Then, he exited the food cellar before the pirates came back here and accused him of stealing food. Yugi quietly closed the door and began to walk over to where everyone else was. He was still out of there sight, when he heard Yami's voice._

"_Many wars have begun on sea."_

_The sound of Yami's voice made Yugi angry. He remembered the things Yami had said to him the previous night. Without thinking, Yugi quietly ran over to the sleeping quarters. He trotted down the stairs and was about to jump into his hammock when a glint of gold caught his attention. Curious, Yugi walked over to where the gleam had come from. It was Yami's hammock. Yugi wasn't tall enough to see over the hammock, so he ran his hands across the fabric, until he found something. Yugi picked it up and studied it. It was the puzzle piece. It must've fallen out of Yami's pocket. _

_Yugi stared at it. In his hand he held the only object he had of home. Yami said there was no time to pack when they left. They had to leave all their possessions at home. Yugi furrowed his brow._

'_Why did he get to bring this?' Yugi thought angrily. It wasn't fair. Yugi couldn't bring any of his memorables, but Yami could? And, why did Yami get to keep this in his pocket all time? The puzzle was just as much Yugi's as it was Yami's, yet the former Pharaoh never let the younger boy hold onto it for a minute or two. He said Yugi needed to let go of his past. But, why did Yami get to hold onto his?_

_Yugi was incredibly angry. Yami was not only a bastard, but he was also a liar and a hypocrite. Yugi stuffed the puzzle piece into his pocket, vaguely wondering how Yami would react when he went to go look for the piece and it wouldn't be there. Yugi predicted that the spirit of the puzzle would go berserk and turn the entire ship upside down looking for it, until he would finally come to the conclusion that the piece fell into the ocean. And then Yugi would come, having found the piece. _

_Yugi smirked. He wasn't a devious person by nature, but he was still pissed at Yami for what happened last night, plus the effect of the alcohol he had consumed, was all clouding his thoughts. Yugi patted his thigh to see if he could feel the piece through his pants. When he could, Yugi smiled, turned around, and ascended the stairs. He thought he had heard something about seeing land._

-0-0-0-0-

Yugi bit his lip. He felt so guilty now. He realized how selfish he had been when he took-no, stole-, the puzzle piece. He wanted to get revenge on Yami, but now Yugi was regretting the choice he had made. Yugi didn't deserve to hold the puzzle piece. But, he wasn't going to get rid of the piece. No, he was going to make sure it got back to Yami, where it deserved to be. No matter what happened to Yugi, the puzzle piece was going back to Yami. Elizabeth squealed and Yugi looked up. Sharkman had torn away her bindings and harshly pushed her to the ground. He did the same for Beckett, but the man tried to fight back. He grabbed Sharkman by his arm and attempted to pull him down to the ground. But Sharkman was twice as tall as Beckett, and easily weighed more than three times the man. He took his free hand and placed it against Beckett's forehead, and then shoved the business man backwards. Beckett's head bounced off the floor and he cried out in pain as he pulled into the fetal position and covered his head.

Sharkman turned around for a minute, going up to the stern of the boat and quickly returned with three wooden buckets and scrub brushes. He carelessly threw them to the ground, the buckets clanked loudly as the hit the deck. "Start scrubbing, mortals." He turned away and went to the center of the boat, where all the other creatures were, and he began to help steer the large turn-wheel in the center of the boat. Yugi carefully crawled over to where the buckets were. He picked one up and examined it. How were they suppose too scrub the deck? There was no water in the buckets, and the only water source on the ship was the ocean beneath them.

"What do we do?" He whispered and looked up at Elizabeth with sad eyes. She picked up a second bucket and was quiet for a moment. She glanced up at the sky, where rain was silently falling from. "Let the rain collect water." She said softly.

"But, that will take forever." Yugi pointed out.

Elizabeth shrugged. "So be it." She placed her bucket beside her and grabbed a brush. She used the water that had already fallen onto the boat and began to scrub it. She put all her shoulder power into it as her arms moved back and forth. Yugi watched her for a moment, and then he began to do the same. The two of them scrubbed the ship for several minutes, while Beckett remained where he was, not moving a muscle, not making a sound. Yugi began to wonder if the blow the shark creature had given him had killed the man. Everyone on this ship was more than capable of killing any one of them at any moment. Yugi bit his lip, unsure of what to do. He glanced over at Elizabeth who met his eye and appeared to be thinking the same thing. She stopped her scrubbing and looked over at Beckett. She quietly crawled over to him and gently shook him.

"Beckett," she said quietly, "Beckett, wake up." The man did not budge, and Elizabeth began to worry. She shook him harder, faster. "Beckett, please wake up." She coaxed. "We need your help." Elizabeth said something right because the man slowly released himself from his position and looked her way. Elizabeth gave him a sad smile and allowed tears to run down her face. They fell off her chin and dripped soundlessly into Beckett's lap. He stared up at her, meeting her gaze, but not speaking. Yugi watched them intently and began to wonder what the relationshio was between the two. Yugi was so sure that Elizabeth loved Will, so he doubted they were lovers, but it was still a possibility that they had once been.

Yugi frowned. It seemed like such a big coincidence that they would run into one of Elizabeth's old friends moments before getting captured. Was Beckett in on it the whole ordeal? Is that why he's been so nonchalant about everything? Yugi shook his head. There were so many possibilities out there, but it would take forever for him to find the real reason, if he ever did. Elizabeth seemed to trust Beckett, so Yugi supposed he would to, for the time being. Sighing, he turned around and went back to scrubbing the deck and soon Elizabeth and Beckett joined him.

After a time, Yugi tuned out all other noises except the scrapping noise of his brush on the wooden deck. He no longer heard the sound of the falling rain, or the cries and screams of the crewman, or even the sound of himself weeping. His only focus was on the chore he had to do. He did not know how long he had been scrubbing, but eventually two big black boots came to where his hands were. Yugi slowly glanced up and saw Davy Jones, staring down at him and examining his work.

"You did a good job, boy." He acknowledge.

Yugi didn't say anything. He looked up at his captor and began to wonder what else he had in store for them.

"Get downstairs, the lot of ya." Jones snarled. "I want you back up here by sunrise. Is that understood?" Jones leaned downwards towards Yugi. The boy could feel the captain's hot breath on his collar and it made his skin tingle. Yugi could smell the odor of whiskey on his breath and nearly gagged.

"Yes." Yugi whispered, looking down at his hands.

"Yes what?" The captain urged. Yugi shut his eyes tight and bit down on his lip. He knew the words his captor wanted to hear, but he just didn't know if he could do it.

"Yes, _Master." _The felt like poison as it passed through Yugi's lips. The captain smirked, then ordered the trio to go down to the cellar. The trio complied and descended the stairs. Each one of them picked a spot on the floor and laid down to go to sleep. Yugi picked a spot in a back corner and curled up in a ball.

'What are we going to do?' He thought. He closed his eyes and he could imagine the faces of everyone he once held dear: Joey, Tristian, Tea, his grandfather and mother, even Ryou. They were all bright and smiling and laughing. They were all holding each other's hand and looking into one another's eyes. Even though Yugi had conjured up this image, he hated it. He wished he could burn it, as though it had never existed. But, it was easier said than done.

Yugi began to softly cry. He wished he could forget about everything. He wished he could forget about his friends and his home. He wished he could forget about the pain. Yugi felt a soft hand be placed on his side. He looked up and saw Elizabeth staring down at him with sad eyes.

"It'll be okay." She whispered. "We'll get out of this. Someone will recuse us."

Yugi shook his head. "That's not why I'm crying." His voice cracked, with sorrow.

Elizabeth became confused. "Then why are you crying?" She asked.

Yugi swallowed and closed his eyes. "I killed my best friends."

**IMPORTANT: Sage: Sorry we left ya'll with a cliffhanger, but it had to be done. Now, DarkHeart has to start taking Drivers Ed this week which will eat up a butt load of her time. Not to mention she has to study for the stupid state exams on top of all her homework, and there's her bad case of writer's block, so there may not be an update next week. We hate to do this to ya'll, but we figure you'd rather wait an extra week for a wonderful chapter, than not wait at all and get a crappy chapter. Thank you.**

**Reviews: Sage: Since DarkHeart is sick, I'll be doing the reivews.**

**Deadpoolhulk: Yugi has a piece of the puzzle, but they don't have the actual puzzle. You'll see it real soon, though. And, since they don't have the puzzle, Yami can't mind crush anyone.**

**Kairi: Lisa, if you kill Davy Jones without inviting me to that get-together, I swear to all that is holy I will-**

**Yugi: Can we stay on topic, please?**

**Oh, sorry. Glad you liked the chapter!**

**Assassin Massie: We'll do our best!**

**Aminaluvr4life: Yeah..that may be a while…**

**Elemental Ink: Um, by 'hint hint', I hope you aren't implying that Yugi and Yami…you know..get together?**

**Yugi: Oh, god no! **

**See, we here at DarkHeartInTheSky's Head, aren't big fans of that genre. No offense to those that like it, but we don't, so we won't ever write it. Sorry. **

**Aqua Girl 007: Your name said it all. **


	9. Truth Revealed Part One

**Sage: No! Not writer's block! Anything but that!**

**Doctor: She has a rather unusual case. She knows what she wants to write, but she doesn't know how to write it.**

**Yugi: Is there a cure? *whispers* Please say no, please say no, please say no.**

**Doctor: She'll just have to write and delete until she gets it how she likes it. Isn't that right, dear.**

**DarkHeart: Yami falls?..No Yami trips..Yes, he trips. And then, he gets eaten by a wolverine! No, that won't make any sense..He..gets eaten by a pack of canibals? Yeah! Yeah!**

**Doctor: Good. She's already making progress.**

-0-0-0-0-

Yami slowly opened his eyes. The moonlight hit his corneas and he quickly shut them back again in as a reflex. His head ached and his throat was parched. His back was sore from sleeping on the hard wooden floor. It arched upwards in protest. All he wanted to was go back to sleep and forget about the pain. He needed to sleep, he didn't want to face Yugi again after their argument. They needed some time away from one another. Yugi would be mad at him for a while. Yugi. Yugi? Then, he remembered. In an instant, Yami was up on his feet, running from his sleeping spot to all around the main deck, searching frantically for the ship that had taken Yugi away. He scanned the area and saw that the Pearl was still docked in Paris. The sky was blanketed by darkness and the stars and moon shone brightly.

"Yugi!" Yami cried, hoping his aibou could hear him. When he got no response, Yami shook his head in denial. He couldn't believe that Yugi was gone. He wouldn't believe it. There had to be someway! After everything Yami went through to protect him, he was gone in no time at all. And he had watched as Yugi was taken away. Yami collapsed to his knees and began to lean on his hands for support. He started to cry. The salty water ran out his eyes and down to his mouth, where it ran over his bottom lip. The tears were falling like a running facuet.

He hadn't broke down like that since the Oriconchos incident. Yami risked his own soul to win Yugi's back after he so foolishly lost it, just so he could win a game. Yami promised Yugi after they were reunited that he would never do something that selfish and idiotic ever again. And now, Yami felt he broke his promise. He allowed his pride to blind him and that's why he wasn't there with Yugi when the boy needed him. Yami swallowed a lump in his throat and he started to tremble.

"Yugi…" Yami whispered, his voice was full of emptiness and defeat. "I'm so sorry. I failed you yet again!" He ballad a fist and slammed it on the floor repeadatly, not even noticing the pain it was causing.

Yami felt a soft hand be placed on his shoulder and for a moment he thought it was Yugi. He eagerly turned his head back, but who he saw was no his partner, but instead Captain Jack Sparrow, looking down on him with regretful eyes. Yami felt anger swell up in him in an instant and he swatted the hand away.

"Don't touch me." The former pharaoh hissed. Jack looked hurt by the harshness in Yami's voice, but Yami didn't care. It was all his fault that Yugi was taken. If Jack had allowed Yami to go after his best friend, then both Yugi and Elizabeth would still be here on the Pearl, not a strange ship. If they were still on the strange ship..

Yami didn't want to think about that, but he knew that it was a possibility. Jack had said that Davy Jones was the most treacherous pirate ever to set sail. He ferried the dead-at-sea to the Underworld. Someone with that much power could easily kill an innocent person. The idea that Yugi, his only friend left in this godforsaken world, was dead sent Yami into another round of hysteria. He no longer cared about maintaining his image of being strong and cruel. He didn't care that he was appearing to be nothing more than a child in front of Jack. He just didn't care.

"I'm sorry." Jack said quietly. "But, there was no way you could have gotten him back. Davy Jones is powerful. He would've killed you in an instant."

Yami sniffed. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

Jack got down on the ground next to Yami. He stared at the broken man beside him and began to think that maybe he had made a mistake by holding the man back. He clearly loved his brother.

"I'm sorry about your brother."

Yami was quiet for a moment. He did not know how to respond. Yugi wasn't his brother. All their time on the Black Pearl they tried to keep up that appearance, and it had worked. But now that Yugi was gone, possibly dead, Yami felt no need to keep up the charade. Somebody should know the truth. Why not Jack?

"He's not my brother."

Jack looked at Yami curiously. "He's not?"

Yami shook his head. "No. He's just a really close friend. We got into some trouble back home and we needed to run away."

"What kind of trouble?"

"It's a long story."

Jack leaned forward. "I've got time."

Yami sighed and sat down on his butt. He looked up at all the stars. "I guess it all began around a year ago…"

-0ne Year Earlier-

The warm spring sun shone brightly through the bay window and into the young boy's bedroom. Yugi's eyes slowly opened as he woke up. He arched his back slightly to stretch it out before getting out of bed.

/Good morning, Yugi./ The spirit of the puzzle greeted through the mind link.

/Morning, Yami./ Yugi replied. He stared at the golden puzzle lying on his nightstand and smiled. He thought of all the good times he had with Yami over the last few years. Yugi went into the bathroom where he quickly got dressed, then he grabbed the puzzle from his nightstand and placed it around his neck. Yugi trotted down the stairs and into the kitchen where his grandfather was sitting, drinking his morning cup of coffee, reading the newspaper.

"Morning Grandpa." Yugi said as he dug through the pantry for a box of cereal.

"Morning Yugi." Solomon replied. He looked up from his paper. "Oh, this came for you in the mail this morning." The elder man pointed to an envelope sitting on the kitchen table. Yugi stared at it for a moment, then he sat down. Ignoring his breakfast, Yugi opened the letter and he began to read it.

/What does it say, Yugi?/ Yami asked through the link.

/It's from Ishizu./

_My Pharaoh,_

_It has come to the attention of I and my brothers that you when encountered some trouble a few months prior with a man named Dartz. We were unable to find very much information on him, only what you were able to tell us, and his soul seems to have passed on, like it should have nearly ten millennia ago. We are aware that this even sidetracked you and Yugi from finding your memoires and are still searching for them. While searching for information on Dartz, we came across something that may aide you in your journey. You will need to bring the god cards to your tomb in Egypt. The problem is, your tomb has not yet been discovered. My brothers and I will start searching for it. We have reason to believe that it is somewhere near Cairo. We will inform you if, and when, we find it._

_Meanwhile, be careful. Though the Millennium Necklace is no longer in my possession, I have been having strange premonitions. Something is going to happen. I am not sure what, but I know it'll greatly affect you and Yugi. Be on your guard at all times. _

_It has been a pleasure serving you, my king._

_Ishizu._

/Be on your guard?/ Yugi thought. He furrowed his brow, trying to think of what the Egyptian woman was trying to warn them about. It seemed that had no idea herself, and Yugi wondered why she would warn them about something that could be nothing more than her own paranoia.

/It may be wise to uphold her warning./ Yami stated.

Yugi shrugged. /There's no harm in it./ He gently folded up the letter and placed it back in the envelope. His eyes caught glance of the clock. 8:08.

"Oh crap!" Yugi shouted. "I'm going to be late for school!" Yugi quickly got up and slung his backpack over his shoulder, ignoring his breakfast. He ran to the door, waving his hand at his grandfather. "Bye Grandpa! I'll see you after school!" He opened the door which chimed, and then he ran out the building and down towards the school house. Yugi wasn't looking where he was going. He was busy searching through his backpack to make sure he had everything he needed for the day. He spent a full minute running with his eyes down in his bag. Then, he ran into something hard and fell to the ground. Two 'ows' were heard as Yugi fell to the ground hard.

Yugi started to rub his head and opened his eyes to see who he ran into. He was surprised to see Ryou, on the ground in front of him. "Oh, Ryou!" Yugi exclaimed. "I'm so sorry! I didn't see you."

The white-haired teen rubbed his sore cranium. "It's all right, Yugi. I wasn't watching myself." Both boys stood up and dusted themselves off. A twinkle of gold caught Yugi's attention and he found himself staring at the Millennium Ring. Yugi frowned. Ryou always wore the ring underneath his shirt. He always had. Ryou was ashamed of it, the way the compasses dug into the skin of his torso. Why would it be on the outside today? Unless…

/Yugi! Get in the Puzzle! Now!/ Yami ordered. Yugi didn't have time to respond when Yami yanked control away from him. Yugi felt like someone was grabbing the collar of his shirt from behind and dragging him away. He fell hard in his soul room. Yugi hissed in pain. Yami rarely ever stole control of the body like he just did. He only did it when he thought Yugi was in mortal danger, which, as of late, was quite often. Yugi closed his eyes.

/Yami. I hope you know what you're doing./

-0-0-0-0-0-

Yami stared at the thief king and growled. "What are you doing?" He demanded.

Bakura scoffed and returned Yami's glare. "Why do you think I am doing anything?"

"Because you're you. You're always up to something."

Bakura rolled his eyes in annoyance. " You're right Pharaoh. I was just coming back from sacrificing nuns and robbing blind orphans." He said sarcastically. "Even if I was up to something, why would I tell you? That would take all the fun out of the surprise."

Yami raised an eyebrow. "So, you _are _up to something."

Bakura grinned. "Perhaps I am. Or, perhaps you just need to discipline your brat more. Damn kid nearly fractured my skull!"

"It's not like you don't deserve it!" Yami yelled.

"I may deserve it. But, what about poor Ryou? Surely the great Pharaoh would know better than to harm an innocent bystander?" Bakura smirked maliciously, outstrecthing his arms to emphasize his next statement. "But, then again, you are the one who sacrificed your host's soul so you could get away."

How did he know about that? Bakura was nowhere to be seen during those last few weeks, and yet here he was, taunting him about Yami's greatest mistake. It was a strange thing Bakura was doing. It was like dangling a piece of steak in front of a starving dog. Yami being the dog, and the steak being Bakura's snide comments. Bakura wanted Yami to attack, and Yami knew that. But, the way he stood, with that evil grin plastered on his face, clouded his judgement. Yami snapped. He lunged at Bakura and tackled him to the ground. He grabbed the thief by his hair and held his head down, while his body was pinned down by the Yami's legs. "You bastard!" Yami snapped. "I would never do anything to hurt Yugi!"

Bakura chuckled, oblivious to the danger he had put himself in. "That's not what I heard. I heard that you were about to lose a duel. The bear thought of failure didn't sit well with you, so you played a card forged by the Devil himself to ensure your victory. But, that victory was short-lived. You lost and were about to lose your soul when you had little Yugi take your place!"

Yami growled. He let go of Bakura's hair with one hand and used it to slap him. A trickle of blood ran down Bakura's nose. The tomb robber's tongue licked it up like it was something sweet. "I didn't know you had the guts, Pharaoh." Bakura brought a foot up and placed it by Yami's temple. He kicked Yami in the head and the Pharaoh fell backwards, off of Bakura.

Bakura stood up and clasped his hands together. " I would love to stay and play, Pharaoh, but alas I cannot. Fortunately for you, I have places I need to be. But, I'd start putting your brat in place if I were you. Ra knows what might happen next time we met."

Yami raised his head off the ground and stared at his nemesis. "I don't need to scare Yugi to get him to do as I say."

Bakura shrugged. "You're right. You just do what you want anyways." He stepped over Yami and walked down the roadway. Yami groaned and attempted to stand up. His head throbbed and his hand ached. He wanted to go after Bakura, but there was no real reason to do just yet. Much to his disdain, he had to let Bakura go this time. Yami sighed and began to walk the opposite way Bakura did, over to Yugi's school.

"Geez, Yug. You look like hell. What happened? You're never late." Joey said during the passing period to the second class of the day. Yugi braced his back against a row of lockers and rubbed his sore hand.

"I had a busy morning." Yugi replied. "First, I get a letter from Ishizu that has some ominous warning. Then, on my way to school, I run into Bakura."

Joey's eyes widened. He was aware that, like Yugi, Ryou also had a spirit inhabiting his Millennium Object. He also know that for some reason, the spirit held a grudge against Yugi and Yami. Joey had only seen an example of Bakura's power once, back at Duelist Kingdom, when he put the souls of everyone at the camp into a duel monsters card.

"Yami got into a bit of a fight with him." Yugi said with a downcast expression.

"What happened to Bakura?" Joey asked.

Yugi shrugged. "When Yami gave me back control of the body, I was already at school. He's locked himself inside his soul room and refuses to talk to me about what happened."

Joey stared at the golden object handing around his friend's neck. Inside was a lost spirit, just trying to find himself as was everyone else on this planet. This spirit had been trapped inside an object of his, and stayed in there until Yugi released him from his five millennia imprisonment. Since then, he swore to protect Yugi from anything and everything that dared to harm the boy. They had been through a lot over the past few years. The past few months were especially hard…Joey shook his head. He didn't want to think about what had happened in during their last 'adventure'.

A bell rang and Yugi and Joey looked at each other. "I'll see you at lunch." Yugi said.

Joey grunted in agreement. Yugi nodded and went off to his next class.

Joey sat down on the sofa in the Motou living room, scanning over the letter from Ishizu. Tea and Tristan were sitting to his right. They had both already read the letter earlier. Yugi sat on the floor in front of the couch, watching as Joey's eyes went left and right, and as his fingers slowly lifted the letter higher to read the lower parts of it. After he finished reading it, Joey placed the letter in his lap. His mouth was slightly ajar. "Wow." He said. "That was pretty…vague." He stated.

Yugi shrugged and took the letter from Joey. "It doesn't say much, but Yami says we should uphold the warning anyway."

"I agree." Tea said. "I mean, Ishizu is used to having these feelings. She's given us no reason not the believe her."

"I don't know." Tristan said, his arms crossed across his chest. "I still don't trust that Marik guy. Anyone who would make Joey and Yugi fight against one another, with the stakes being life or death, doesn't deserve to be trusted."

"But that was when he was under the influence of his Millennium Rod." Yugi said. "Remember? Yami sent that darker half of his soul to the Shadow Realm."

"Besides, man." Joey cut in. "We're talking about Ishizu, not Marik. You trust her, don't you?

Tristan sighed. "I guess so." He grumbled.

Tea looked over at Yugi. "So, what are you and Yami going to do?" She asked.

"Do what the letter tells us to do." Yugi answered honestly. "Be on our guard at all times."

"Yugi!" Called Solomon Motou from the kitchen. "It's getting late. Why don't you send your friends home? They can come over again tomorrow."

"Okay, grampa!" Yugi shouted. "Sorry, guys. We can talk more later."

They group muttered their thanks and stood up. They exited the shop without saying much. Yugi sighed and stood up. He went up to his room where he quickly changed into his pajamas and went to bed.

"_Come one Pharaoh! Let's see how little Yugi fares without you!" Bakura taunted, beckoning with a finger. _

_Yami gritted his teeth and growled. "This is between you and me, Bakura!" He shouted. "Leave him out of it!"_

_Bakura laughed. "Do you really think this is just between us? The boy who released you from your prison has absolutely nothing to do with our feud? He has everything to do with it." Bakura pointed to the Puzzle, where Yugi was currently residing. "Stop protecting him and let him fight his own battles for once! Or, are you afraid that he might lose?" _

_"Enough!" Yami roared. "I will not allow you to undermine his strength."_

_Bakura raised an eyebrow and frowned. "So, you are going to let him duel by himself?"_

_Yami blinked. Then, he stepped back. He looked at his feet while Bakura waited patiently for an answer that would never come._

Yugi's eyes shot open as he flew into a sitting up position. His heart was racing and cold sweat had glued his bangs to his forehead. His breathing was labored and painful.

/Yugi./ Yami said calmly. /Are you okay?/

Yugi shut his eyes. He didn't know what to say. The dream seemed so real, as though it were revealing Yami's true feelings. Yugi swallowed. Did Yami really think he couldn't fight his own battles. His hands grabbed the blanket and he studied the threading.

/I'm fine./ He answered.

-0-0-0-0-

"Wait." Jack interrupted. "You expect me to believe that yer a spirit of an ancient Egyptain Pharaoh? And that yer soul was trapped inside a puzzle?"

Yami glared. "I don't expect you to believe anything. You're entitled to your opinion, so weather you think I'm crazy or a liar doesn't really make a difference, because I speak the truth."

"But," Jack said, "if you really were once so powerful, why are so attached to that boy?"

Yami nit his lip and looked up at the stars. They were so elegant in color compared to the black sky. "He saved me." Yami answered quietly.

"From what?"

"Myself."

"I don't understand."

Yami chuckled humorlessly. "I didn't expect you too." He turned to look Jack in the eye. "When Yugi released me, I didn't quite realized what had happened. All I knew was that he had unlocked the door to my jail, and someone was hurting him. I felt I owed him my life because of the deed he had done me.

"So, I killed the man that was harming him. And, I killed anyone that harmed him. I became so obsessed with trying to keep Yugi safe, that I didn't realized he himself had no idea what was going on. Every time I took over, his mind was thrust inside the puzzle. He told me later that he would have these 'blackouts'. It was during those blackouts that I was in control of the body. One day, I went overboard. Yugi was conscious during one of these episodes and he found a way to take back control. He showed me how cruel I was being. How impure my soul was compared to his. He brought me out of my darkness, and ever since I vowed I would protect him."

"So, that's why you were so inclined to save him." Jack commented.

Yami nodded, but kept quiet. He didn't want to go any more into his past than he had to. He had done several things that he was deeply ashamed of and he regretted _most _of them. Some people deserved the punishment they received. After all, it was the Shadows that judged their soul. Yami was more of the messenger.

"What happened next?" Jack asked quietly.

"Nothing." Yami said without emotion. "Absolutely nothing. The next few months were so quiet, we had forgotten all about the letter from Ishizu and my meeting with Bakura. We just forgot about them and we went on with our lives." Yami's face darkened, and his blinked several times. "We should've been paying attention. There were so many signs."

-0-0-0-0

The autumn leaves crunched beneath Yugi's sneaker. Another gust of cold wind blew and the boy shoved his hands in his jacket. His coat was buttoned up all the way to the neck, but he still had goose bumps on his skin. His mind was preoccupied as it was going over the events of the day.

/Where do you think they are?/ Yugi asked Yami, a bit of fear was laced in his thoughts.

/I don't know, Yugi./ Yami replied honestly. /But, I am sure they are fine, wherever they are./

/But, doesn't it seem odd that they would all be absent from school on the same day? And they didn't even tell us they were going to be absent./

Yami pondered the idea for a moment. /Maybe something came up and they didn't have time to tell us./

/If they were in trouble, they would've told us./

Yami never replied. He didn't know how to. Yugi had many valid points. Yami was scared too. He was already beginning to think the worst had befallen Yugi's friends, but he didn't want Yugi to know. That would only worry Yugi even more. Besides, Yami was never really one to be scared, and Yugi had already drawn up the image that Yami was brave and never felt scared. He didn't want to let the boy down by being the exact opposite of what Yugi thought he was.

An immense sense of panic shot up through Yami's spine out of nowhere. He jumped up out of his soul room and into Yugi's soul room, looking for an intruder. When he saw no one, he realized that the danger was outside.

/Yugi!/ Yami called, not wanting to steal control just yet. /Are you alright?/

Another shot of panic came, and this time Yami didn't wait for a reply. He seized control of the body at once and was ready to fight. He opened his eyes, but saw no one. He was right outside the Game Shop doors, and it was close to five. Nobody ever came around at this time during the day. Yami became confused, but then he noticed that something was in his hands. It was a letter. Yami felt sick to his stomach when he noticed that it wasn't written in ink, but instead it was written in blood.

**Pharaoh, **

**I have a surprise for you. I'm sure you've noticed an unusual absence among some people in your lives. All your little friends and Yugi's grandfather are anxiously waiting for you to rescue them. Isn't that sweet? Come pick them up at exactly ten 'o'clock tonight in the Old Warehouse. I think you remember which one I am talking about. I almost had gotten rid of you and your obnoxious brat.. **

**Oh, and bring the puzzle.**

**Bakura. **

**-0-0-0-0-0-**

**Reviews:**

**Deadpoolhulk: Thank you! I hope I do well to…**

**Well, it's only half a flashblack, but next chapter is longer, and if I combined them it would've been very long. Besides, I wanted to leave you guys on a cliffhanger. **

**Assassin Massie: Sage: Hmm…cookies? Brownies! They must be for me! *gobbles***

**Yugi: Did you eat all of those?**

**Sage: hmmbe. **

**Yugi: Those were for DarkHeart.**

**Sage:…oops. **

**Kairi: You'll have to wait till next time to see how he killed his friends! **

**Aqua Girl 007: I'm glad you liked it! **

**Elemental Ink: On noes! We've left you with another cliffhanger…Sorries. But, I already have most of that chapter written, so there will be no wait for it. I'm back up to my usual update schedule for now. **


	10. Truth Revealed Part Two

**We finally get to see what happened to Yugi's friends.**

**Sage: 'We'? Don't you mean the readers? We've known what happened since before the first chapter.**

**Sage, please. I am trying to create a relationship with the readers.**

**Sage: Well, do us a favor. Don't.**

**WARNING! SOME GRAPHIC IMAGES REGUARDING THE DEATHS OF EVERYONE. **

-0-0-0-0-0-

Elizabeth listened intently to the story that Yugi told. She was confused. She didn't understand why Yugi said he had killed his friends. He didn't seem like the kind of person to kill anyone, intently or accidently. He had gotten to the part about the letter left by that enemy of theirs. Bakura, was it? Such an odd name, she thought, but she understood that it was foreign, and kept her comment to herself. Yugi was distressed enough, and she didn't want to increase it by insulting his heritage. Yugi had paused after he got to the point, as though he were deciding what to say-or what not to say- next.

"And then what happened?" Elizabeth asked quietly, trying to get the young boy to speak.

Yugi looked up at her with sad eyes. They gazed over to Beckett, who appeared to be asleep. Yugi wondered how the man could sleep considering their current circumstances. It only reinforced his opinion that the man was working with Davy Jones. After all, he didn't appear to be very worried for his life, which, Yugi thought, he very well should be. At the moment, the captain held all three of their lives in his hands..or claws, Yugi thought. He bit his lip. Then again, it could just be Beckett's way to cope with the situation. Maybe that's how he would deal with being forced to subject yourself to someone, by sleeping.

Yugi sighed. He needed to answer Elizabeth's question. He had already begun the story, and he was at the point of no return. He was now obligated to answer her questions. "We met him at the warehouse….."

-0-0-0-0-

Yami stood outside the warehouse, duel disk and deck in hand. He tapped his foot anxiously, glancing at the watch on his left wrist occasionally. It was already 10:15. Yami began to wonder if it was all a trap Bakura had set up. Maybe he hadn't kidnapped the gang and Yugi's family. He could just have been trying to make the two miserable.

The warehouse was large and made of steel. The door was about five feet high and closed. It was like a garage door, it opened by rolling up, but Yami couldn't find a handle to open it himself. He signed and ran a worried hand through his hair. He hadn't heard from Yugi all afternoon, but he felt the boy's worry and fear flood through the mindlink every so often. Yami had tried to make conversation with Yugi, but the younger boy was in no mood to talk, and Yami respected him enough not to force him to talk.

Yami was worried too. These weren't just Yugi's friends and family, they were also his own. Joey, Tristan, and Tea had made him part of the group the minute they had found about his existence. Yugi trusted him, and they trusted Yugi, so they didn't even hesitate to call him a friend.

Yami glanced down at his watch again and grimaced. It was now ten thirty.

"Where is that son of a bitch?" Yami muttered under his breath. He was growing increasingly worried and impatient. He was not in the mood to play one of Bakura's stupid little games. The man didn't care at all about the lives of the innocent. Nobody was innocent to him, Yami thought. Everybody was guilty, everybody deserved to be punished. The Tomb Robber had an uncanny ability to find out what someone's greatest fear was and use it against him. It was how he was able to control Ryou all these years. He didn't do it because he was strong enough too, but because he knew Ryou wouldn't interfere as long as his family was safe.

Yami heard a low rumble and turned around. He door to the warehouse was opening and inside he saw a dark figure, standing dead center in the middle of the room, arms crossed across his chest. Once the door has fully opened, Yami growled and ran inside.

"Bakura!" He barked. "Where are they?"

There was a sound of someone running around the room, and lights came on out of nowhere. Yami looked upwards and saw Bakura standing on a fire escape, smirking deviously. "Pharaoh, I'm so glad you could make it."

Yami snorted. "Enough games! Where are they?"

"Your friends? Why, they're right over there." He pointed a skinny finger to the other side of the fire escape. Yami's eyes looked in that direction and saw everyone, Joey, Tristan, Tea, Solomon Motou, and Ms. Motou, unconscious and leaning against the wall. Yami gasped.

"What did you do to them?"

Bakura laughed and jumped down from his spot, landing on the ground with a soft thud. "I did nothing. I merely gave them a sleeping draught. They'll be asleep until the end of our battle. Now, let's play." Bakura raised an arm over his chest and activated his duel disk. The various lights began to turn on and the gears could be heard turning from the inside.

Yami did the same with his own disk. "If I win, you let them go."

Bakura snickered. "Who said I wanted to duel _you_?"

Yami fell back slightly, surprised. "You don't want to fight me?" He paused, and Bakura gave no response. "Well, then who do you want to fight?"

"Oh, you know him quite well, I believe. Quiet little thing. Doesn't like to talk much, does he?"

Yami stiffened as he realized who Bakura was referring too. "I won't let you hurt Yugi."

"Pharaoh, I'm hurt. Why do you always think I want to harm someone?"

"Because that's what you do."

Bakura shrugged. "Be that as it may, it's either let me battle Yugi, or say good-bye to all of them." He pointed his finger to the gang once more, and stared Yami down with his malicious eyes. "Remember Pharaoh, I can kill them at any time."

/Yami, let me do it./ Yugi said through the link. Yami was a bit surprised to hear Yugi talk. He hadn't said a single word all afternoon.

/It's dangerous, Yugi./ Yami advised. /I don't want you to get hurt./

/I've been in dangerous situations before./ Yugi pointed out. /This is the same warehouse where I battled Bandit Keith all by myself./

Yami looked around and realized Yugi was right. It was that same warehouse. But, hadn't it burned down? Yami bit his lip. The fireman must have put it out before it did any real danger.

/All the more reason for you not to do this. Yugi, you could've died that day./

/But I didn't. And anyways, there have been plenty of other times where I've almost died because I was helping you. Remember Marik, and the whole Battle City Ordeal?/

Yami clenched his eyes, not wanting to be reminded of all the countless times Yugi had been hurt during that tournament. All because someone was after him.

"Well Pharaoh," Bakura said in a sing-song voice, "I'm waiting. Come one Pharaoh! Let's see how little Yugi fares without you!" Bakura taunted, beckoning with a finger.

Yami gritted his teeth and growled. "This is between you and me, Bakura!" He shouted. "Leave him out of it!"

Bakura laughed. "Do you really think this is just between us? The boy who released you from your prison has absolutely nothing to do with our feud? He has everything to do with it." Bakura pointed to the Puzzle, where Yugi was currently residing. "Stop protecting him and let him fight his own battles for once! Or, are you afraid that he might lose?"

"Enough!" Yami roared. "I will not allow you to undermine his strength."

Bakura raised an eyebrow and frowned. "So, you are going to let him duel by himself?"

Yami blinked. Then, he stepped back. He looked at his feet while Bakura waited patiently for an answer that would never come.

Yugi had enough. He stole control away from Yami, and he heard sounds of protest coming from the spirit, but Yugi ignored them. Right now, it was just him and Bakura. "Alright, Bakura. You want to fight me, then fight me!"

/Yugi! What the hell are you doing?/

/Just trust me, Yami. I can beat him./

Yami was silent for a moment. /I'm here if you need me./

"Very well, little Yugi. You seem rather daring today. This," the millennium ring began to shine brightly, blinding Yugi, "will be an interesting Shadow Game."

Yugi opened his eyes and saw the familiar purple clouds swirling around him. He stiffened. He never got used to the place. Yugi tried to rearrange his feet, but he noticed something was attached to his ankle. He looked down and saw a metal chain wrapped around his left foot. "What is this?" Yugi yelled.

Bakura snickered. "You'll find out soon enough." He said. "Now, why don't I go first?" Bakura drew his five cards and examined them. He smirked, and picked one card up. "I place a monster card face down," he said, "and I activate my rajecki!" Bakura placed the magic card down on the field. "Rajecki automatically depletes three hundred of your life points!" Yugi watched the numbers on his duel disk drop from 4000 to 3700. He heard a crackling sound and saw blue lights coming from his chain. The followed the chain upwards and soon Yugi's whole body was engulfed in the lights. Yugi felt like he was being electrocuted. He screamed in pain, and arched backwards. He could feel Yami's fear and anger.

Bakura was cackling, and then, it stopped. Gray smoke came off of Yugi's back and the smell of burnt flesh irritated his nose.

"Every time one of us losses life points, we will receive a shock." Bakura explained. "The intensity of the shock depends on how many life points are lost. We also get a shock if we take too long to make a move." He smirked and widened his eyes. "That was only three hundred life points worth. Imagine one thousand's worth."

Yugi was still hurting. His vision was doubled and his mouth was dry. His body was having mini spasms, as the contracted and relaxed.

"Your move, boy." Bakura said.

Yugi stared at his hand carefully. He glanced down at Bakura's face down card and bit his lip. It could pose a threat, and if he attacked it blindly, he would lose more life points. Bakura already had a lead, and the game had just barely started.

/Yugi,/ Came Yami's voice, /I can fight him for you./

Yugi shook his head. /N-no. I can t-take him./

Yugi picked up his card. "I play Big Shield Guardian in defense mode." Yugi declared. He set the card down on his duel disk and the hologram of the monster appeared.

Big Shield Guardian (100/2000)

Bakura frowned and burrowed his brow. "Taking the defensive side a little earlier, aren't you?" He stated.

Seeing Bakura's confusion made Yugi smiled. "You can never be too careful."

"But you can be too cowardly." Bakura drew a card from his deck and glared down at it. He switched his face down card to defense mode, shaking his head. "There's nothing I can do. I end my turn here."

Yugi grinned. "You're off to a bad start, aren't you Bakura?"

The demon growled. "Don't get cocky, boy. This is still far from over."

"Of course." Yugi said in an unusual arrogant voice. Yugi drew a card and glanced down at his hand. He frowned as he examined his hand. He had several good monster cards, but that one face down card still proved suspicious. Yugi balanced the pros and cons inside his head for a moment, and then finally decided that he would have to take the risk. You couldn't play a round of duel monsters without some risk being involved, he figured. Yugi picked up the card between his thumb and middle finger. It felt soft and smooth against his skin. Yugi swallowed and activated the card.

"I summon my Beta the Magnet Warrior!" Yugi cried as the small, yellow, metallic person appeared on the field. (1700/1600) The tiny hologram started to do a tiny victory dance, waving around the tiny magnets it held in its hands.

With a shaking, unsure hand, Yugi pointed directly towards Bakura. "I will win this." He said, his eyes looked up towards his friends. "For them."

Bakura rolled his eyes in disgust. "How sweet."

The battle raged on. Bakura proved stronger than ever before, introducing new combinations into his deck that Yugi had never even thought of before. His deck had little monsters, but it was packed with strong magic and trap cards, both of which overbalanced his handicap. Yugi's life points were depleting fast, while he only barely managed to touch Bakura's. With each life point he lost, Yugi's body was subjected to the abuse of the trap Bakura had set. His body was becoming stiff. It was a shadow game, the monsters, the purple clouds, the electric shocks, all of it was real. And Yugi's body wasn't able to take much more of it.

Yugi was beginning to lose hope when his life points were under one thousand. Bakura still remained at a safe twenty-five hundred, with his Dark Necromancer on the field. For the first time in his life, Yugi was sure that he would lose.

/Don't think like that!/ Yami exclaimed. /Thoughts lead to actions. The more you think you'll lose, the more likely it is that you will lose./

Yugi tried to concentrate on Yami's words, but the electrocution had all but fried his brain. He heard it, but it took him a while to understand exactly what Yami meant.

/But../ he began. Even his mind voice was dry and hoarse. /He has the advantage…/

/Has that ever stopped you before?/ Yami asked, sounding an awful lot like a life coach

/..No…/ Yugi replied weakly.

/Then why let it stop you now?/

Yugi had no answer. He shook his head and directed his attention back onto Bakura. "It's my move, I believe." He said shakily.

"Took you long enough." Bakura snorted.

Yugi glanced down at his hand. He had already drawn his card, and only had two cards left in his hand: Dark Magician and Black Luster Solider. Neither of which he could summon. He didn't have any cards out in the field and he only had one card left in his deck. Yugi heard the soft sound of a buzzer. His eyes widened. A jolt of the blue electricity shot up the chain and attacked Yugi. He released a blood-curdling scream. His mind started to go fuzzy. He couldn't remember where he was, or what he was doing.

/Yugi!/ The voice called. It was obviously in distress, but Yugi couldn't tell why. He didn't feel odd. In fact, he felt wonderful. It was as though he were on a cloud. /Yugi,/ the voice repeated, /talk to me!/

"Make your move, boy." Called a second voice. "Or has the great King of Games finally met his end?"

The voice sounded fuzzy as it entered Yugi's ears and he couldn't make it whom it was. It sounded familiar, but he couldn't recognize it. Yugi squinted his eyes but they couldn't focus on anything. All he could see were colors, no shapes or sizes. His hands began to shake and his focus was returned to what he had previously been doing. In his hand he held one card, and in his deck was one card left. The duel disk felt heavy on his wrist and Yugi found it incredibly hard to concentrate.

/Yugi, you are in no condition to continue fighting!/ Yami screamed inside Yugi's head. /Let me take over!/

"No." Yugi whispered in his mind. "I-I've almost done it."

/I was wrong, Yugi. You shouldn't be doing this by yourself! Let me take over and finish him!/

Yugi hung his head and his hair drooped forward, covering his eyes. /Wh-why don't you believe in my, Yami?/ He asked child-like. Why couldn't anyone believe he could do anything? He could protect himself and do things for himself. He wasn't helpless. He wasn't a child. He was fifteen for Ra's sake!

/I do, Yugi, but he's weakened you. Let me take over, for your sake and the sake of our friends!/

Yugi compensated the idea for a moment. He would do anything for his friends. He would even let himself die so they could be safe. They were the reason he had come here. And Yami was right; his foe had weakened him. Yugi was nearly blind and he was trembling so much he couldn't hold his cards straight.

"I'm waiting." His opponent taunted. "If you've given up, just surrender. It's no big deal. It'll just prove that I was right and you are nothing more than a scared child. The Pharaoh is the real King of Games, not you. Joey Wheeler was the runner up in Duelist Kingdom, Seto Kaiba is one of the most powerful, influential people in the world. What does that make you?"

Yugi's breathing stopped momentarily. The duelist before him made a valid point. What was Yugi? He wasn't the Duelist Kingdom Champion. He had fallen ill during the battle and Yami had to defeat Pegasus himself. He also wasn't the Battle City Champion. Yami did all the work there, while he, once again, needed rescuing. Yugi exhaled irregularly. He was nothing. He would always be living in other people's shadows. Even his friends would never see him as his own person. Whenever they thought of him they also thought of Yami. He and Yami were closer than brothers, but they were not the same person. Yugi was the complete opposite of his partner. Yami was strong, confident, and brave. Yugi was shy, weak, and full of self-doubt.

/No wonder people like Yami more than me./ Yugi thought grimly.

/Yugi, if you don't retreat back to your soul room, I will take over!/ Yami screamed loud as he could, interrupting Yugi's depressing thoughts. /With or without your consent./ The spirit added.

Yugi closed his eyes. He couldn't see straight and his head felt like it were on fire. His chest was heavy, like several large stones had been placed on top of it. This was the most challenging Shadow Game he had ever participated in. The stakes were the highest they had ever been, and the pain Yugi was enduring was like nothing he had ever felt before. A surge of pain shot up through his spine and he yelled out in agony.

/"Yugi!/

Yugi clutched his chest and began to pant. /O-okay. You c-can fight him./ Yugi said through the mind link. He sensed Yami's compliance and he felt himself being pulled into his soul room. Ra, he hadn't felt this bad since the duel with Pegasus. He felt worse now than he did then. He was in his room, but his vision was still fuzzy. He was weak and he felt himself collapse onto the floor. He did not bother to open his eyes. Instead, he enjoyed just laying down on the floor, resting. His body and mind deserved it.

A few minutes pasted and Yugi and had not heard from his ally. Slowly and painfully, he connected to Yami's consciousness to tell him he was fine but instead he heard what Yami heard.

-0-0-0-0-

Yami glared down at his hand. He didn't know what to do. There was nothing he could do.

Bakura squinted. "Pharaoh?" He said angrily. "Little Yugi was supposed to fight me!" His eyes suddenly relaxed. "No matter. The boy has suffered enough, I suppose. I'll enjoy kicking your ass." He said with superiority with in his voice.

Yami felt cold sweat begin to bead upon his brow. He did the only thing he could do: He drew the final card in his deck, and hoped and prayed with all his might, that the Heart of The Cards would guide him, as they always had. 'Fate is on my side.' Yami tried to convince himself. 'Whatever happens, happens for a reason.'

He closed his eyes and placed his two forefingers on his last card. He was so nervous; he ripped the card out of the deck pocket, brought it level with his eyes, and slowly opened them. His heart dropped into the pit of his stomach. With his large green eyes, and furry brown hair, the Kuriboh Card stared at him in a mocking sort of way.

'No.' Yami thought, starting to panic. He glanced back down at his hand: Dark Magician and Black Luster Solider. 'No.' He repeated. He couldn't do anything! He needed to sacrifice two monsters to summon Dark Magician, and he needed a ritual card to summon the Luster Solider, which had to be long buried in his graveyard. Yami swallowed a lump of disbelief that had formed in his throat. The Heart Of The Cards had failed him.

Bakura tapped his foot impatiently. "Well, Pharaoh? I'm waiting."

Yami's mouth became dry. His eyes went up towards the group. "I'm sorry." He whispered, tears began to form in his eyes.

Bakura smirked and placed a hand behind his ear. "What was that, Pharaoh? I'm afraid I didn't hear you."

Yami looked up at Bakura, his mouth was slack. He couldn't find the words to speak. "I-I can't do anything." Yami said.

Bakura grinned manically, revealing a row of sharp, pointed teeth. "Looks like it's my turn then." Bakura pointed a finger to Yami, condemning him to his death. "Dark Necormancer, attack!" The blue alien-like creature nodded and ran towards Yami with sharp fingers. She scratched Yami across the chest. Yami screamed in pain as the electric shock took over his body, causing his muscles to contract. The life points on his duel disk hit zero with a loud beep. His skin was black and burned, gray smoke rose from it.

"You've lost, Pharaoh." Bakura said, unlocking himself from the ankle trap. He walked over to Yami, who had fallen onto his knees in pain. Bakura looked down at the broken Pharaoh with a sense of superiority. He held out an open palm in front of Yami's face. "Time for your punishment." A bolt of black lightening escaped from the center of his hand and it struck Yami between his eyes. The pain was unbearable. He fell backwards. His eyelids snapped closed, and he remembered hearing Bakura cackling, screaming how he finally had avenged his town of Kul-Elna.

He heard the sound of soft crying and a louder sound of cracking. Yami opened his eyes and saw a mixture of orange, yellow, and blue. It had a strong, pungent smell. Yami tried to place a name to it.

"Fire!" He screamed, sitting up. He turned around, surrounded by the flames. The sound of crying hit his ears again. Yami turned his head and saw Yugi, sitting down. Why did he have his own body?

"That's not important now." Yami thought, shaking his head. He ran over to his partner and looked over his shoulder. He was repulsed by what he saw. It took all the self-control he could muster not to vomit. Joey, Tea, Tristan, and Grampa were lying down. Their eyes were open, but they had clouded over. Joey had a large cut in the side of his head so deep you could see his skull. The left side of Tea's face was burned beyond recognition. The body half of Tristan's body was mangled. His right ankle was turned backwards 180 degrees. Grampa was the worst of the group. His mouth was open, blood dripping out of it. In the middle of his chest, was a long, rusted rod. He had been skewered by the railing when it fell, leaving a gigantic hole in the center of his body.

Yami started to cry. But, a large beam of wood fell down right behind him, splattering embers. One of them landed on Yami's sleeve, but he quickly brushed it away. "Yugi!" He screamed and grabbed the boy's elbow, pulling him up. "We need to leave!" Yugi reached out for the bodies. "No! I'm not leaving without them!"

The desperation in Yugi's voice broke Yami's heart, but he had to ignore it for now. If they didn't get out, they would join their friends. Yami dragged the protesting Yugi through the burring warehouse, and out the exit.

"No!" Yugi screamed, kicking his legs. "We have to get them!"

Just as the words left his mouth, the ceiling collapsed. Yugi became speechless for a moment. The two could only watch as the flames engulfed the remains of the building, and his friends.

-0-0-0-0-

Elizabeth was speechless. The boy had woven such a horrific story. He was in tears now, trembling, rubbing his arms as if to rub away the pain. She drew closer to him, placing her hand behind his head and drew it to his chest. She rubbed his back and hushed the boy, trying to sooth him.

"Yugi," she said, tears of her own were now falling, "I'm so sorry. But," she bit her lip, "how did you kill them? It's wasn't your fault at all."

Yugi sniffed and began to collect himself. "I gambled their lives and I lost." He whispered. "I killed them just the same if I put guns to their heads and pulled the triggers."

Elizabeth was quiet, staring the broken child. He had already been through so much, and his life had only just begun. It wasn't fair. Nobody deserved to go through so much lose so soon, and all at one time.

"What happened to that Bakura person?" She asked.

Yugi drew away and wiped his nose with his sleeve. "I don't know." His voice was raw and scratchy. "We've been spending the past couple of months running away from him. He was supposed to kill us, not my friends. Something went wrong. The magic he used was dark, really dark. It was what separated me and Yami from the one body."

Elizabeth blinked and nodded, even though she didn't quite understand.

"We ran into him a couple of times since the…incident, but he barely caught a glance of us before we ran away."

"So that's what you were doing in the port that day." Elizabeth pointed out.

Yugi nodded. "We had seen him in Florida a few weeks earlier, and we had caught a raft to Port Royal. When Jack offered us the job, we took it because we knew we would be traveling a lot. And the more we moved around, the less likely it was we would run into him."

A dim glow of yellow peeked into their eyes. It was sunrise. They looked at each other, fear was evident. Davy Jones had ordered them back onto the deck by the time the sun rose into the sky. They hadn't realized how much time they had spent having Yugi tell his story.

Elizabeth remembered the letter from the beginning of the story. The writer had warned Yugi and Yami about some sort of misfortune about to come upon them.

"What happened to the lady, the one that wrote the first letter?"

Yugi looked away, remembering the pain he felt when he learned about the deaths of Ishizu and Marik and Odion. He felt sick to his stomach, but his stomach had nothing in it to expel. Elizabeth waited patiently for Yugi to answer. She understood that he needed time, but she really didn't want to wait much longer for an answer. She had been patient enough. She couldn't force the boy to talk, but now her curiosity had the best of her and she would try as hard as she could.

"Yugi," she said in a low voice, "please tell me."

Yugi sighed and looked down at the ground. "They had found Yami's tomb…they were in it with an entire excavation crew. Then, someone rigged dynamite by the staircase. It went off and they were caved in. They either died because of the explosion, or because of starvation. But they still died nonetheless."

Elizabeth regretted making the boy talk when she saw that his eyes were trying to cry, but they had nothing left in them. His eyes looked dull and empty. His voice was raw and scratchy. He had worn the lining of his throat with his crying. Yugi wiped his dry eyes and sniffed. He looked back over at Elizabeth and saw the pain in her eyes. Yugi cringed and quickly looked away, ashamed of himself. No matter what anyone said, he was a murderer. He had been responsible for the deaths of his grandfather and his friends. He had played one of Bakura's vile games knowing the risks at stake. He gambled lives that weren't his. Yugi crawled away from Elizabeth, not wanting to see the look she would give now that she knew the truth.

Silence draped them like a blanket.

**Reviews:**

**Deadpoolhulk: Yes, yes you will.**

**Sage: You know you're a hypocrite right? You hate it when an author leaves you with a cliffhanger, but you've been leaving your readers with cliff hangers since chapter one!**

**Ah, they'll deal with it. The world is a hypocrite after all. **

**Aqua Girl 007: Who said anything about Yugi having to duel Jones? I'm sorry, but I suck at writing the actual duel. I have a tad bit of dyscalculia, so I lose track of numbers a lot. But, I can tell you there will be a battle near the end. I think it is much better than a boring ol' children's card game.**

**Kairi: Quote 'Holy Pickles'. I'm gonna start saying that now!**

**Assassin Massie: Thank yous for the cookies! Don't worry, Sage won't get to them. After the *ahem* incident last night, she's not allowed to have any sweets. And, thanks for your support. I got my permit. I only have one more week of Driver's Ed, after than I only have two more weeks of school which means more time for fanfiction! And that's always a good thing.**


	11. The Beggar and the Fisherman

**I have put up an important poll on my profile. When you're done reading, please go vote on it. ** **Warning! Another gruesome death. Please all you Ryou fans….don't kill me!**

-0-0-0-0-0-

Yami finished telling his story as quickly as possible to escape the pain of having to relive each experience. After the warehouse had burned down, he and Yugi realized the mistake Bakura had made. The Tomb Robber hadn't meant to kill their friends; he had meant to kill them. Something had gone wrong with his shadow magic. Instead of killing them, the magic had split the two souls into separate bodies. Bakura had made a mistake. The man who had conspired with the creator of the Shadows had over five millennia of practice. And even he could not control them to do his will. Jack had been considerate as Yami finished the story. He remained quiet, and occasionally nodded to show he understood, even though he didn't. He didn't have it in him to accuse Yami of being demented, or of being a liar, because honestly, Jack believed every word. Yami had stopped crying as he came to the end of his story. He had no more tears left to cry. The whites of his eyes were irritated and bloodshot. They were also vacant; dull as his movements became that of a robot.

Jack became heartbroken as he heard Yami speak. He knew what it was like to lose someone you loved. He had been chasing around a woman who never even considered him to be anything more than a friend. And he was the reason this man lost his best friend. He felt compelled to make things right.

"I'm sorry." Jack apologized under his breath.

Yami sniffed and wiped his eyes.

"I want to make it up to you." Jack said quietly. "I know a woman who knew Davy Jones personally. She knew him better than anyone. She might know why he would take Yugi and where he could be."

Yami looked at Jack reluctantly. "Where is she?"

Jack hesitated. "She lives in Haiti." He mumbled.

Yami raised an eyebrow. "Haiti?" His voice rose and became full of anger. "As in the Haiti that's in the direction we spent a month coming from?"

Jack nodded, but said nothing.

"You idiot!" Yami screamed, jumping up onto his feet. He pointed an accusing finger right at Jack's nose. It quivered as Yami's body began to go back into tremors. "It took us a month to get here! We can't waste another thirty days going back there! Yugi could be dead by then!"

Against his better judgment, Jack spoke. "He could be dead right now."

Yami fumed. He raised a hand to slap Jack, but he held it back. He cursed under his breath, turned around, and stormed off. Jack sighed as he stood. He looked up at the sky, which was starting to turn a bright, orange color as the sun began to rise. He looked over his shoulder to where Yami had gone off too. The Pharaoh was sitting at the far end of the boat, arms crossed over his chest, bent over, and silently sobbing.

Jack closed his eyes. He turned towards the ramp that lead to the docks of Paris, and was reminded that Davy Jones' crew stole most of their supplies. He dug into his pockets. Empty. Sighing, Jack walked down the ramp and into the streets of Paris, hoping to get back before Will woke up. They had a long day ahead of them.

-0-0-0-0-

It was dark and storming. The beggar walked down the damp city street with a brown hood covering his face. He kept his eyes glued to the ground, and watched his feet move ahead of one another. He had a beaten old satchel hanging over his left shoulder. The right shoulder strap had snapped and while back, and there were two good sized holes in the lining of the bag. Under normal circumstances, he would not have been able to travel as far as he had. His brat, Ryou, would've found a way to seize back control and get away far enough before he could steal control back. The boy has been a nuisance since the two first met, but now he was finally free of him. After the incident with the Pharaoh and Yugi, he and his brat were also separated. But, it did not happen until he was far away from the burning warehouse. Bakura and Ryou were separated when they reached Ryou's house. The boy thought Yugi and his friends were all dead, and tried to kill Bakura to avenge them. Stupid boy. Bakura had not only managed to overpower Ryou, but he also managed to gag and tie the boy up and bury him under the covers of his bed. His father was out on one of his excavations, and wouldn't return for several months.

Since he never called, he never would've known the danger his son was in. Bakura would've loved to burn the place down, but that would've been a messy death, and he didn't have the time to clean it up. He waited for three weeks; all the time Ryou lay in that bed, bound and gagged, dying of starvation and dehydration. Once he finally kicked the bucket, Bakura stowed the body into the back of a pickup truck, and drove it to the bottom of the Domino River. Since the body he had was identical to Ryou's, the police were unable to find any evidence, including the body of the dead boy.

A glow emanated from the center of his chest. The beggar stopped in his tracks.

"Hm?"

He dug down inside his cloak and pulled out an odd looking necklace from his head space. The Millennium Ring's Eye of Horus was glowing brightly, completely illuminating the night sky. The center compass was levitating and pointing north, the direction Bakura had been walking. He looked up and saw a port yard ahead of him. Bakura raised an eyebrow.

"Why did it lead me here?" Bakura muttered angrily. "The Pharaoh and his host have no business traveling the waters." He bit his lip, weighing his options. The worst case sceneario was that his ring lead him on a wild goose chase, which he was on anyways. The other scenario was that the Pharaoh and Yugi were sailing to try and avoid him, which is was unlikely, but much more likely than the latter. His ring always gave him accurate directions. The compass began to move slightly to the right, pointing to an old dingy. An elderly man was inside it, tending to his duties.

Bakura walked over to the old man and watched him work for a moment, tucking away his ring, before making his presence clear.

"Excuse me," Bakura said, trying to stay inconspicuous. "May I ask where you are headed?"

The elder turned around. He looked surprised by Bakura's presence. He hadn't had a visitor since his wife died nearly five years ago.

"Can I help you, young man?" The elder asked with bright, smiling eyes.

"I am in need of some…employment. I was wondering if you are available?"

The elder laughed. "Sorry boy, but I ain't headed in any particular direction." He pointed a wrinkly hand to the sky. "I go where the stars take me. And anyways, I couldn't afford to pay ya. I'm substantial. Work for meself, ya know?"

"I am not asking for payment." Bakura said in a deep voice. "I am searching for a boat to rest. I want to experience sailing for myself. All I would ask of you is that I get to stay on your boat."

"Aw, I appreciate it, boy, but there are some other, bigger ships around here." He motioned to the other ships that happened to be docked in the same vicinity. "You'd be better on one of 'em."

"But, I am attracted to the smallness of your boat. It is so humble, it beckons to me, like a ship to a lighthouse." Bakura lied. Something about this boat told him it would lead him to the missing piece of the puzzle. The Pharaoh thought he was so smart. He left all the millennium items, including the puzzle, he owned at his host's house. But, he took a piece of the puzzle with him, making the puzzle completely worthless. The other items didn't even matter that much until he got the puzzle fixed. It was the puzzle that would give him the ability to avenge his family.

The old man let out a large grin, revealing four, rotten teeth. Two on the top, two on the bottom.

"Why, boy you have just made my day. Tell ya what. You can come on my boat with me. I'll take you till we next reach land, and if you still want to voyage with me, you'll be more than welcome to."

He stuck out a frail, wrinkled hand.

Bakura smirked. He grasped the old man's hand and gave it a strong, firm shake.

"That sounds perfect." Bakura said. Deep inside, his soul was cackling in glee. In no time at all, he would correct the mistake he made back at the warehouse. He would kill the foolish Pharaoh once and for all.

Of course, there was still the matter of how to dispose Yugi. Bakura always liked Yugi, in aways. He found the boy's ignorance and foolishness quite amusing. How he longed to take the boy's ability to trust so easily and break it. He would take away the boy's spirit and crush it beyond repair. Once little Yugi lost his will to live, Bakura would've accomplished everything he ever wanted to. He would watch with extreme happiness as the boy begged him to end his life. And Bakura would. Once he got tired of the boy's crying, that is.

The old man welcomed Bakura onto his cramped ship. It rocked as he stepped on and sat down, but once he got comfortable he sat down.

"They call me Billy." The old man introduced himself. "Wadda 'bout you? Got a name?"

Bakura hesitated for a moment. Telling the man his name could prove to be a fatal error. He chewed on the inside of his cheek, thinking it over swiftly. 'It won't matter.' Bakura thought. 'He won't live to tell the tale.'

"I'm Bakura."

-0-0-0-0-

Billy was a talker. He could outtalk anybody Bakura ever met in the past five millennia. The old man would often talk about his life. He told Bakura how he met his wife, and about his three children who were all grown up, but he lost contact with them after their mother died. He was traveling around the world, trying to find them. He told Bakura he had no idea where any of them could be, but his eldest daughter often talked about going to the Americas and marrying a wealthy farmer. He decided to start there, and traded in his comfy home in Haiti to travel the world in a small rowboat.

It annoyed Bakura to no ends that Billy could never shut up. But, it gave him an excuse not to talk himself. He had made a mistake; he rushed into his search and did not create a fake backstory for himself. He rarely had the misfortune of having to talk to someone, so it was not that big a deal, but here it would be very hard for him to get away with his silence. He would be stuck on this small rowboat for God knows how long. If he kept quiet for a long enough time period, Billy would get suspicious and could possibly kick him out. The old man couldn't pose a threat against him, but Bakura didn't want to kill the man just yet. He had been traveling the Earth for nearly a decade, and he knew his way around the sea. Bakura hated to admit it, but right now Billy was essential to him getting his revenge.

The old backpack was weighed down by five of the millennium items he had won from his duel with the Pharaoh. The two he was missing, the key and the scale, were not necessary to him being victorious. He had the Rod, which was really the only item he needed, along with his ring. The ring was his only chance of being able to track down his prey. One of the two boys held the missing piece of the puzzle. If he found one of them, he would find the other.

"Wadda 'bout you?" Billy said, pulling Bakura out of his thoughts. "Ever been married?"

Bakura shut his eyes tight and rolled them behind his eyelids. "I was. Once." Bakura lied. "She died a year ago of tuberculosis." Bakura remembered overhearing some poor sap saying that about their wife. The man was in tears as he told the story to one of his friends. Bakura mocked the man for his weakness of relying on others for support, but it was that conversation he overheard that could lessen the suspicion here.

Billy looked down and muttered an apology. "What about children?"

Bakura growled in his throat. It was deep, something a junk yard dog would say, but he managed to keep it from coming out of his mouth. Why couldn't the old man just shut up? "No." Bakura said, shaking his head. "She couldn't have kids."

Billy nodded like he understood. "My sister was the same way. She ended up adoptin' a small boy whose parents died. Killed by pirates, my sister told me."

Bakura hummed in acknowledgement, hoping the noise would get Billy to shut up. Suddenly, Bakura felt a warm sensation overtake his chest. He instinctively clutched it, trying to block out the yellow glow his ring would make. Billy didn't seem to notice, his eyes were facing the opposite direction, an oar held in his hand. Bakura could feel the compass on the far right pick up and point eastward. Bakura looked up to the sky and saw the sun was behind them. They were going in the opposite way! Bakura growled. He would need to get a hold of the oar and turn the ship around, but he couldn't do it with Billy steering, or awake.

"Would you like me to row?" Bakura asked, in the most polite voice he could conjure up, "You've been working really hard. You should rest." Billy turned around and thought about Bakura's offer. He had been rowing for a while, and his arms were so sore they were throbbing. He nodded and handed Bakura the oar.

"Why thank you, son. That's mighty kind of ya."

"Oh, it's no problem at all." Bakura said with fake sincerity. "Why don't you go to sleep now? I can handle it from here."

Billy smiled and switched places with Bakura, so that he was on the back end of the boat. He stretched out as much as he could on the cramped sea vehicle, tucked his hands under his head, and was snoring within minutes. Bakura waited until he was sure the old man was asleep, and then he turned the boat around, and starting riding the waves in the direction the missing puzzle piece lay.

He pushed the oars against the tide as hard as he could, causing a strain on his shoulders. He was never used to pain, not a sore pain, at least. He had always put Ryou back in control of the body whenever it was injured, leaving him to deal with the agonizing pain. Bakura seethed through his teeth as his shoulders began to throb. The ring started to glow brighter and it began to hum.

Despite the pain, Bakura grinned. He was almost there. Maybe a few hours away at most. Bakura placed a hand to his heart and bowed his head. "Father," he whispered, "Finally, I will be able to keep my promise. I will avenge your death and the death of all the villagers of Kul-Elna. Soon, I will finally be able to make you proud to call me your soon." Bakura took his two forefingers and kissed them lightly, before directing them towards the sky. He closed his eyes and allowed the prayer to reach his father. A soft breeze gently nipped the small of his neck. Other than the noise of Billy's snoring, and the occasionally caw of a seagull, all was silent.

It was the calm before the storm.

-Day 2-

Beckett was still lying on the floor boards in his catatonic state. His was awake, Yugi and Elizabeth could tell that, but he was completely still. The only movement he made was the rising and falling of his chest, the only sign Elizabeth had that he was still alive. The sun was slowly starting to rise, and the two captives were trying with all their might to wake the third. Jones has stated clearly that he wanted them up by sunrise.

They saw the cruelness of Jones' last night, and even though it really wasn't their problem, they didn't want Beckett to be subjected to torture. They were more merciful than that. Yugi began to pull on Beckett's arms while Elizabeth tried to push him up from behind. The man was tall, therefore heavy. Too heavy for the two to lift on their own. Yugi's grip on Beckett slipped and he fell backwards on top of Elizabeth. The woman groaned in pain and Yugi immediately ran over to assist her. She managed to push Beckett of her, and she accepted the hand Yugi offered. She took it lovingly and the teenage boy hoisted her to his feet. She wobbled a little bit, but quickly regained her balance. She brushed a piece of hair out of eyes and smiled.

"Thank you." She said softly. Yugi nodded, but didn't say anything. He glanced back down at the broken mass of man and but the inside of his cheek so hard he began to taste blood. He sighed.

"What do we do with him?"

Elizabeth shook her head and exhaled slowly. "I don't know. We can't just leave him down here; Jones' would kill him, and possibly, us."

Yugi shook his head. "I don't think so." He glanced up and met Elizabeth's eyes. "He wants us as slaves. He wants us to do his dirty work. If he kills us, then he loses his slaves and will have to do the work on his own. He's spent too much on us as is. Killing us will only put him in debt."

Elizabeth digested his words for a moment, letting them sink in to her mind. She sighed and wrapped her arms around her chest and began to rub them together for warmth. She looked back at Yugi.

"You're right." She admitted. "He isn't going to kill us. At least not yet. But, we still should head up to the main deck. Just because he won't kill us doesn't mean he won't injure us."

"Agreed." Yugi said dully. "He can stay here all day if he wants. I'm not going to risk your life for his." Giving Elizabeth no time to respond, Yugi turned around, swallowed the lump of fear in his throat, and walked up the creaking stairs. Elizabeth quickly followed, only stopping for a brief moment where she looked over her shoulders at Beckett's paralyzed form. His chest was falling and rising, but his eyes were unblinking, making her think he might actually be sleeping-or dead- and his breathing was just an illusion her mind had conjured up to keep her from reaching her breaking point. Beckett may be an ass, but even he doesn't deserve what fate had dealt him.

Her mind was trying to protect itself from grief. She had already been stolen away from the man she loved just moments before their wedding. She didn't need to lose another man in her life. Beckett was probably one of the most influential people she had ever met. Why, if it weren't for him, she would've never met Will. And she would probably be back in Port Royal, living by the bides of her father by marrying a man she did not love.

'You'll grow to love him.' The Governor would say with a large smile.

'Love isn't learned.' Elizabeth would argue with all might. 'It is made.'

'How do you know if it's there then, if you never give it a chance.'

Elizabeth would place a hand to her chest and close her eyes. 'The heart knows when it's in love; it doesn't need to be told, or be forced. It just knows. Either I love this man, or I do not love him. My heart tells me I do not love him.'

The Governor would become angry with his daughter at this point. She got her stubbornness from her mother. She was just as defiant as her, and wouldn't back down until her point had been made and the latter would come to agree with her.

'Did you love Mom?' Elizabeth asked one time. 'Did your parents force you into a marriage you did not want?'

'Of course not.' He said, shaking his head. 'I loved your mom from the minute I laid my eyes on her. Nobody had to force me to marry her, I choose to.'

'Then why can't you let me choose my husband?' Elizabeth hissed through her front teeth.

'Enough!' The Governor roared. "We will speak of this no more. You are to marry Lord Beckett next Sunday morn, even if I have to drag you there myself!' And with that, his face red and puffy, his wig slightly askew, he turned around and left the room, stomping like a child.

Elizabeth fell to her knees and quietly sobbed. She buried her face in her hands and allowed herself to wallow in her misery. Too Hell with her pride. Her father was forcing her into a marriage. The least she could do was feel sorry for herself, and not give a damn about anyone who thought otherwise. It wasn't fair. Everyone else got to choose what they did with their lives, who they included in it, and who they just simply tolerated. She was not even allowed to pick out her clothes for the day.

She sniffed and brought her head out of her hands, a decision made.

She was going to run away.

Looking back on this memory, Elizabeth still had the same thoughts. She did not run away. She saw how upset her bickering had made her father and, overcome with guilt, she reluctantly agreed to marry Beckett, just so her father could be happy.

She sighed and face downward. She didn't want to think about, but she had to consider the possibility that Will wouldn't come to save her. Weather it was because he was dead, unable to find her, or simply had no desire to come after her did not matter. The only thing that did matter was she uphold these beliefs that way she would not be disappointed if William and Jack never came to their rescue. She could prepare better to spend the rest of her life abroad the Flying Dutchman. Maybe that way it wouldn't seem so bad.

Her stomach grumbled and she realized that she hadn't eaten since the morning of what was supposed to be her wedding. She placed a hand over it and grimaced. She did not know where any food was. The sun started to rise higher. Her hunger could wait, she decided. Right now, her life was at stake. She did not want to anger Jones' so soon into her captivity. She held her head high, proud, despite her desperate situation, and walked up the stairs with a strong gait and demeanor. She did not bother to look over her shoulder as she made It onto the main deck where Yugi and the crew members were. Looking back would've only brought her to her breaking point. She would not lose the battle so early in. As Elizabeth walked towards the hell that awaited her, something in the lower part of the ship changed.

Beckett stirred.

**Reviews:**

**Deadpoolohulk: Good news, it only gets even MORE depressing! And….um, yeah. Ryou's going to be very depressed….*hides under rock***

**Aqua Girl 007: I think you'll like it.**

**Elemental Ink: Yeah, try telling that to Yugi.**

**Yugi: It's all my fault! I killed my bestest friends!**

**Yugi, you didn't kill them.I-**

**Yugi: *whispers* All my fault..all my fault…**

**See what I mean?**

**Kairi: No! I must kill you by keeping you in suspense. Soon, the anxiety will cause your heart to beat so rapidly it'll explode! Hahhahahaha! **


	12. A Way Out

**Guess who saw the latest POC movie?...Well, it wasn't me. Movies are expensive and I is broke. Oh well. At least I can fill the void with this depressing tale. **

**Sage: What will you do with the void you call a life?**

**I fill that void with peanuts and chocolate. Oh, and it you haven't already, please vote on the poll I've posted on my profile. It closes next Saturday. **

-0-0-0-0-0-0

The older man opened his eyes. His head throbbed and he was extremely parched. Beckett shifted to an upright position and held his head in his hands for a moment, rubbing his forehead. How long had he been asleep? Beckett did not recall much. He knew he was onboard the Flying Dutchman, the ship of Davy Jones. The idea of becoming slave to a vile creature did not sit well with the business man, but he had come to accept his fate. There wasn't anything he could do. Jones was strong and he had the help of all the other crewmen. It was a miracle he hadn't been killed yet.

Jones had said he wanted Beckett, Elizabeth, and that Yugi kid as slaves on the ship. Why? He had enough help on the boat as is, it appeared. Groaning, Beckett slowly stood on his feet and leaned on the wall of the ship for extra support. The sun light hit his corneas and Beckett shut them tightly, biting his lip until he drew a sliver of blood. He staggered towards the staircase that lead to the main deck, tripping over his own feet often. He had to climb up the steps, rubbing his knees raw. Once he got to the top, he collapsed on the hard, splintering deck, panting.

"Beckett!" Elizabeth cried and she ran over to him. She helped hoist him back up to his feet and dusted off his dirty suit. "Are you okay?" She asked.

Beckett nodded and opened his eyes. Elizabeth was smiling in relief. Her face was smudged with grime, and her hair was a complete mess. Beckett looked over and saw Yugi on his knees, scrubbing the deck. He didn't even bother to look up at the couple.

Beckett looked back at Elizabeth and noticed the dark circles under her eyes. She must not have slept at all, Beckett concluded. He couldn't blame her. He had no idea how he was able to fall asleep last night. He was scared himself, but his pride would not allow him to express it. He was the oldest of the group, he had to act the most mature.

"What happened?" Beckett asked. His voice cracked as he spoke for the first time in hours.

Elizabeth pushed her messy hair behind an ear and looked down. "Jones told us to scrub the deck again. He wants to see his reflection in it."

Beckett looked around for the captain. He only saw himself, Elizabeth, and Yugi. "Where is everyone?"

Elizabeth pointed to the door by the steering wheel. "Jones is in the captain quarters. I don't know where the rest of them are. Probably sleeping, I suppose. They don't have to work much now that we're here."

Elizabeth turned around and got down onto her knees. She took a bucket that was near here and dumped the water out of it. She took a small cloth and began to rub the wood, creating callouses on her delicate palms. She turned around and faced Beckett once more, a questioning look on her face.

"Aren't you going to help us?" She inquired.

Beckett nodded and got onto his knees. "Yes, yes. I'm sorry."

"You almost were killed." Elizabeth said softly.

Beckett raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

She spoke and she scrubbed the deck. "Jones had ordered us all back on the deck before sunrise. You were still sleeping. Yugi and I tried to wake you, but we were unsuccessful. We came up here anyways. Jones told us to start scrubbing. He didn't notice you weren't with us. If he had, he would've killed you."

"There's more to it than that." Yugi interrupted. He wasn't looking at the two, but his comment was directed at them. "He did notice that you weren't here at sunrise. He just didn't say anything. He wants us to live in fear. He wants us to be miserable and want to die. He also wants to install guilt."

"How was him not saying anything installing guilt?" Elizabeth asked. Yugi stopped scrubbing and rubbed his sore fingers.

"You'll see." Yugi said softly. "It's another way of placing fear of him into us. He wants us to fear for our own safety, and by pretending not to notice small things will do just that. No fear, no control." Yugi laughed humorlessly, and began to mumble to himself, but Elizabeth and Beckett couldn't hear him.

The two stared at each other for a moment, wondering what was going on with the boy. They both shrugged, and Elizabeth soundlessly went back to her scrubbing. Beckett watched her for a moment, how the sweat began to bead on her brow, how her face was growing flushed and strained. It wasn't right.

"A woman's place is at home with the children." Beckett thought, biting on his tongue. "No woman should be forced to do strenuous manual labor."

Beckett grabbed a third cloth that lay beside Elizabeth. He began to scrub as well, but he took to the area along the edge of the boat. He pressed down hard into the floor boards, and pushed slowly and forcefully forward and back, in circular motions. The thin cloth got caught on a splinter of the wood, and it tore in two when Beckett pulled the cloth back. The business man swore under his breath, and impulsively threw the torn rag over the edge of the boat.

It didn't make a noise as it floated down to the water, and was taken away off the horizon. Beckett got an idea. He stood up and looked over the edge, running his hand along the railing. He spit down into the water counted how long it took his saliva to hit the waters.

'One..two…splat.'

Only two seconds. He could do it. Jump off the boat. It wouldn't be hard, and Death would come swiftly, dragging him underwater to Hell itself. Beckett wasn't a fool. He knew he didn't have any chance at entering Heaven, even do he wished deeply he did. He had stolen from the poor and felt no remorse about it. He loved his money to much to stop. It was an addiction. He loved how his customers believed they were getting a deal when in reality, they were getting ripped off. Beckett couldn't get over his addiction, but he didn't have any desire to do as well.

Beckett stared at the waters. They were a dark blue and Beckett could see his reflection somewhat. His powdered wig was lopsided, and the right side of his face was bruised from where he lay down. He noticed a splinter on the tip of his chin. He used his thumb and pointer finger to pull it out quickly. He pulled a little to hard and accidentally ripped off a little bit of skin. Beckett hissed in pain, and cursed when he felt blood dribble down to his chest.

Suddenly, a new figure appeared in the water. His pink, scaly face was glaring down at Beckett's reflection, but his mouth was turned upwards in a smirk. Beckett gulped and turned around.

"Jus' what were ye thinking?" Jones said angrily.

"N-n-nothing." Beckett stuttered. "I was..admiring the sea."

Jones walked over to Beckett's port side, his claws behind his back. "Really?" He questioned. "It looked to me that you were plannin' an escape." The skin above his eyes wrinkled and he snorted.

"I hadn't meant to get you and the other two." Jones admitted. "Who I really wanted was Sparrow. That slimly little snake stole what rightfully belongs to me! The Black Pearl is my ship!" He took a claw and balled it into a fist, and slammed it down hard on the railing. A small crack formed in the wood when Jones pulled his arm back. Beckett studied the crack and gulped. That wood was hickory, one of the finest and strongest woods on Earth. If he could crack without breaking a sweat, then him cracking a human skull would be as easy as cracking an egg.

Jones snarled. "Sparrow wasn't on the Pearl when we invaded Paris. We didn't have time to wait around for him, so I had my crew take what was available: You." Jones turned to look at a terrified Beckett. "As much as I hate to admit you, you are worth more to me alive. So, you might want to re-think that little suicide plan of yours. Remember, I ferry the dead, and it would be no skin on my back to ensure that your experience in the Afterlife would be one of immeasurable pain and suffering."

Jones placed a claw on Beckett's chest and forcefully shoved him down. Beckett landed on the deck, right onto his arm. He heard a faint _snap!_-and was sure his arm had been broken. Jones stepped over the injured man and was about to walk back to his Quarters when he stopped and looked back over his shoulder.

"Get back to work." He snarled, and continued to walk away.

Once he was gone, Beckett used his good arm to push himself into an upright position. He cradled his injured arm and tried to see if it was indeed broken. He looked up. Elizabeth and Yugi were looking at him with sorrow in their eyes. They had seen the entire scenario take place, but fear would not allow them to intervene and help Beckett out. Beckett couldn't blame them. Even if he and Elizabeth had swapped places, making her the one to suffer Jones' wrath, he would've just watched, fearing more for his own life if he interfered, than Elizabeth's if he continued to just sit and watch.

Beckett sighed and ran his good hand over his injured one. He winched when it came to about his forearm, but it did not hurt that bad. It was sore and bruised, but it was not broken. He sighed one of relief when he came to that conclusion. He could deal with a bruised arm out here better than a broken one. At least a bruised one would feel better after a day or so.

Beckett turned around to get his cloth to continue his work before Jones came back, but then he remembered that he had tossed his rag overboard. He felt bile rise in his throat at the thought of the stupidity of his deed. Without thinking, Beckett shed his coat and tore off one of the sleeves at the elbow. He used the navy-blue fabric as a rag. The material of his coat was much studier than the material of the rags the trio had been given. It did not tear, and it did not absorb water as much, making it a much better cleaning material.

After a few moments, Beckett shed two more pieces, one for Elizabeth and one for Yugi. The nodded their thanks, and went back to their work. Yugi had slowly moved up towards the Captain's Quarters, and Elizabeth had moved towards the rear of the boat. It was an unconscious action, showing that none of the captives felt like talking to one another. The best way to prevent conversation from coming up was for them to get as far away from each other as possible.

Beckett remained in the center area of the ship, his mind had gone blank and all he saw was the wooden pieces that made up the Flying Dutchman, and the water he was pushing around with his sleeve. It was as though nothing else existed in the world. And he couldn't find the will to come out of his trance. It was the same kind of trance he had fallen into earlier into his captivity. He shut out the world, pretending that nothing else existed. Pretending that it was only him. Not another living creature walked the Earth. It was the greatest defense mechanism he had invented when he was a child to protect his mind from harm, especially after the death of his parents. The only two people on Earth who ever loved him were killed brutally and painfully by pirates. If he pretended that he was the only one on Earth, than nothing else mattered. He wouldn't get hurt again, because somewhere, deep down, underneath the business man and the pirate hunter, was a scared little orphan who was still mouring the death of his parents.

-0-0-00-0-

Will decided to finally come out of the sleeping quarters around noon. His mind was numb; not moving. He couldn't believe that Elizabeth had been stolen from him right before his eyes, and he did nothing. He just stood and watched, he listened to her cries and pleas that he would save her. He did not fight Jack's grip. He let the old pirate hold onto his arm. Will was at least fifteen years younger than Jack; if he had really tried, Jack wouldn't have stood a chance at holding him back from saving his fiancée.

Almost his wife.

She was taken just a few minutes before their wedding. It wasn't fair! Will punched the wall of the sleeping quarters as he walked up the stairs. He got some splinters in his knuckles, but he only dug his fist deeper into the wood. He wanted to ignore the emotional pain if only for a moment, with physical pain. He wanted to let the mental pain scar, to become nothing more than a memory, one he could force his sub-councious to forget it. If he can't remember it, he can't feel it. Out of sight, out of mind.

But of course, he could never forget Elizabeth. You never forget your true love. Will stopped breathing for a moment, then just huffed. He began to weep. He didn't care who heard it, or who saw the tears. To Hell with my pride, he thought, the love of my life has been taken away from me. Am I not allowed to cry for her?

Will stood there, motionless for a few minutes. Then, he seemed to lose control of his body. His feet started to shuffle and he was moving back onto the main deck. He looked up, and with tears in his eyes, spotted Yami, laying right in the middle of the ship, on his side. He had his hands underneath his head, and his knees were drawn up to his chest. The ex-Pharaoh's body was trembling.

Will walked over to Yami and sat down, wiping the tears from his own eyes. He looked over to the younger man. Why was he crying?

'Oh.' Will remembered. His brother has been taken away as well. And just like him, Yami had watched his brother be taken while Jack had held him back. Will would've loved to kill Jack for his little stunt, but the captain was nowhere to be seen. And anyways, Will wasn't in any mood to fight.

"I'm sorry about your fiancée."

Will looked to his right and saw Yami, sitting up, staring at him sincerely. His eyes were red from crying and his voice was hoarse.

"And I your brother." Will replied.

Neither of them spoke for a moment.

"Where's Jack?" Will asked softly.

Yami shrugged. "He left the ship around sunrise."

"So, he's wandering the streets of Paris?"

"I assume so."

Will shook his head. "I'm gonna kill him."

"Don't." Yami pleaded softly.

Will looked over to Yami with an angered look. "Why not?"

"Because," Yami whispered, averting his gaze, "Jack says he knows someone who might be able to help us. Someone who was real close to Davy Jones. He wants us to go to her and she might give us some information about where her might be."

Will raised an eyebrow. It sounded too good to be true. "Who is she?"

"I don't know. But, Jack says she lives in Haiti."

Will fumed. Haiti? That was half the world away! The direction they had just come from! It took them a complete lunar cycle to get from that part of the world, over to Paris! Elizabeth could be dead by then!

"I know what you're thinking." Yami said, interrupting Will's thoughts. "But it's the best shot we have at getting back our loved ones."

"And what if they're dead? We would've just wasted our time!"

Yami shook his head, and something took residence in his eyes. Will could not figure out exactly what it was. It looked like hatred, but it also looked lustful. He thought he saw a red glint in the corner of his iris, but it lasted only a second. Yami's mouth had turned downwards into a thin, frown, and his eyebrows furrowed, indicating some kind of powerful emotion was taking over.

Will became frightened. Yami's entire time on the Pearl, he barely spoke a word to anyone other than his brother, and he seemed he could care less about where he was. But now, he looked angry, and sad, and guilty, and a whole other bunch of emotions combined.

"It would not be a waste of time." Yami finally said. "Because it would only give us more reason to kill Jones and avenge our friends."

"You can't just kill Jones." A third voice said. Will and Yami turned around and saw Jack climbing up the ramp, pulling along a very large crate with a rope that was pulled over his shoulder. Jack brought the crate onto the main deck, then released the rope. He began to pant, and bent over, placing his hands on his knees.

"Wheew!" He said. "That was quite the work out."

Will stood up and walked over to the crate. "What is that?"

"Rations…" Jack said between breaths. "Jones and his crew stole most of our supplies…"

"How did you afford to get all this? We don't have any money!"

"The same way Jones afforded our supplies."

"You stole it?" Will exclaimed. He was appalled, and confused. How could Jack drag a crate that size that he had stolen and no one notice? It was midday. The streets were busy. Surely somebody would've suspected something.

"Stole is a strong word, William." Jack responded. "I would say…stole. Okay. But, it was necessary for our survival!"

"That is no excuse! We'll have the French Navy after us in a heartbeat! We could die!"

"We could die at any time, William. We could die five minutes from now, or five years from now, but we are going to die. When that time comes is irrelevant."

"It's completely relevant!" Will screamed. "You need to know when you're going to die, so you can prepare for it!"

"Then you might as well be prepared for death every day because you don't know when it comes until it's too late."

"Excuse me." Yami interrupted, shoving himself between the two pirates before things got ugly, which he suspected was about to be real soon. He had seen Jack place his hand around the pistol he kept strapped to his hip. "But, you said something about killing Jones?"

Jack stared at Will for another second, then looked at Yami. "Uh, yes. Jones would be very difficult to kill. You can't just shot him in the head. You have to destroy his heart."

"He has a heart?" Yami said angrily.

"Well, yes. Literally, at least. The only way to kill Jones is to kill his heart."

"Then all we have to do is shot him in the chest?"

Jack shook his head. "It's not that simply, lad. Jones had his heart removed from his chest to try and prevent his death. He locked it in a chest." Jack motioned with his hands a rectangular shape, and he twisted his wrist to motion a lock. "And he stored the chest away."

"Do you know where the chest is?"

"I think Jones would like to keep it on his person. I think it's somewhere on his ship."

"So, we find Flying Dutchman, find the chest, and we kill him?" Yami said, growing excited at the idea.

"Well, yes, but-"

"What are we waiting for? Let's find your friend, find Jones'\ and then kill him!"

"Yami, there's still more to it than that."

"What more could there be?"

"Jones ferries the dead to the Afterlife. There needs to be someone to do that, otherwise the dead would overtake the living. If Jones is killed, he would need a successor to take his place as captain of the Flying Dutchman, and Jones never had any kids so-"

"So whoever kills Jones would become his successor." Will finished, looking down at the deck. "And his killer would become captain of the Flying Dutchman, meaning that they could never get off his ship."

"They could get off it once every ten years." Jack corrected, looking down.

Yami was becoming less and less excited. His was starting to become devastated. "So, what does that mean exactly?"

Will looked up and met Yami's eye. For the first time since they met, he saw the young man as an equal. He saw him as someone who deserved respect, and to be treated like an adult. He was eighteen after all. He would have been considered a man years ago.

"It means," he said sadly, "that the one of us that kills him is condemned to an eternity of doing Jones' job. We would have to leave behind our friends and family. We would be better off letting them die, than trying to kill Jones', because if they are dead, and we do kill Jones', one of us would never get to see our loved ones ever again.

"We'd be condemned to the Hell on Earth, not ever dying, but not ever living either."

Yami looked at Jack, his eyes begging that there be another answer, but Jack only shook his head, an action that told Yami Will was right.

"S-so-so there's nothing we can do?" Yami asked, feeling the tears starting to prick at his eyes once more.

"I'm sorry." Jack muttered softly.

"No." Yami said softly. "No. There has to be something, someone, who can do something!"

"Lad, nobody would want to take Jones' job. It is a depressing one. Day and night, you just sail around the sea with no set destination, carrying souls to the pits of Hell." Jack said. "You are probably better off assuming Yugi is dead. That way, you'll have a chance of seeing him again one day."

"So, we're not even going to try and save them?" Yami screamed. "They could be dead, they could be alive. We can't know for sure unless we track Jones down and see it for ourselves. Let's make a pact." Yami offered. "We see your friend in Haiti, get as much information about Jones as we can possibly get. We track him down, and if Yugi and Elizabeth are still alive, we steal them back and leave Jones, never having to see him again, leaving him alive. And," he paused, and shut his eyes tight, trying to stop the flow of tears that were leaking from his crimson eyes. "if they are dead, we leave and move on with our lives. No kicking, no screaming. We'll go quietly. I swear to all that is holy that I will accept Yugi's death and go quietly."

Everything went silent for a moment. Will looked over to Jack, a defeated look on his face, but a hint of victory in his eyes. "I swear the same. If Elizabeth is dead, I will move on and sail the seas with you."

Jack thought about it for a moment. He still loved Elizabeth. Something in his heart still longed to know whether or not she was alive, just as these boys were wondering. There was a chance she was still alive. It was slim, but it was still possible. After all, if Jones had wanted to kill her, he could've done it on the Pearl. There was no need for him to have taken her aboard his ship unless he thought he could get some use out of her. There was the possibility that Jones was invested in a slave trade, but it was unlikely because Jones could only step on land once every decade. Jack had no idea when that time was up, but he didn't see how Jones could make any profit off it. Technically, he didn't need any food. He was immortal unless his heart was killed. He couldn't starve to death, and neither could anyone of his crew. Food was more of a luxury to them; they wouldn't need any money to buy some.

Jack looked at both men. He wanted Elizabeth back just as much as Will, and after hearing Yami's devastating tale, the least he could do was try and save his last friend. He cleared his throat.

"Let's head to Haiti."

**Reviews:**

**Elemental Ink: You have no idea….**

**Yami: I'm going to kill you, Jack! *runs to Jack***

**Stop it, Yami!**

**Yami: But…but…**

**Just stop it!...Anyways. I would love to fill you in on the deal with Beckett, but unfortunately I can't do that without giving anything away, so you'll just have to wait and see.**

**Aqua Girl 007: I know. I'm awful to Yugi. But, I enjoy every minute of it!**

**Yugi: I hate you!**

**Thank you, Yugi!**

**Kairi: Did that really surprise you? I was surprised that everybody was surprised that Bakura killed Ryou. I mean, despite what most fanfiction writers think, Bakura absolutely hated Ryou in the anime. Did you see Season Zero? Bakura was just brutal to him, but it was in a sadistic, mine-controlling way. If you haven't already seen it, you need too.**

**Deadpoolhulk: I'm glad you liked it! **


	13. Dinner with the Devil

**School's out! Yes! And now that I have more time to write, I am going to update this story twice a week. You guys voted and the result was unanimous. From now on, I'll be updating every Saturday and Wednesday.**

** Sage: Considering only three people voted….**

**So be on the lookout for updates on those days. I want to thank all my reviewers; it's because of you guys that I gain my motivation to write!**

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

A couple of crewman from the Flying Dutchman came out of the storage room around sunset. There wasn't a lot of them; from what Yugi saw, there was the Sharkman, the Coralman, and the one who had the fish fin growing out of his back. They looked angered, but also worried. Yugi began to wonder what happened to the rest of the crew. There had been at least a total of fifteen other members.

The trio had been scrubbing the deck all day. Their arms were so sore, they were numb. Yugi had to dig deep to find the strength to keep on pushing the rag around. He wanted to stop, but he didn't want to anger Jones' by quitting prematurely. The captain had obviously done something with the other twelve members of his crew and whatever had happened, Yugi didn't want to meet the same fate. Sharkman came up to Yugi, casting a shadow across the small boy. Yugi looked up and for a second, he could've sworn he saw compassion in the creature's eye. But, it disappeared as fast as it had come. Yugi wondered if he just imagined it.

"The captain would like you to dine with him tonight." Sharkman said.

Yugi blinked. "W-what?" He stuttered. Jones wanted to dine with him? Something was up. A 'master' just didn't invite his 'slaves' to have dinner with him. He wanted something, but Yugi couldn't figure out what. As far as he knew, Jones' didn't know anything about the Pharaoh or the Millennium Items, so he couldn't possibly be after those. Yugi doubted he was making this offer out of the goodness of his heart.

"You are to go up to the Captain's Quarters and dine with Jones." Sharkman repeated. He looked down sadly at Yugi and the small boy swore he saw that glint of compassion once more. Sharkman huffed, held his head high, and walked away.

Yugi looked over his shoulder at Elizabeth, who had heard the conversation. She looked just as surprised as he was. She crawled over to him and placed a hand on Yugi's shoulder.

"I think you should go." She said quietly. "You might find something useful."

Yugi shook his head. "I highly doubt that. He wants something. Information, maybe."

"Still," Elizabeth grew quiet. "You need to eat."

"So do you."

"I can handle my hunger, Yugi."

Hearing those words made Yugi angry. So, Elizabeth thought he was just a weak child, just like everybody else. Just like everybody else, she thought he needed protection, she thought he couldn't handle himself. He looked away. He couldn't bear to look at someone who did not see him as an equal. Yugi stood up and dusted himself off. He would dine with Jones', but not because it meant food. He would do it because maybe he could figure out where they were headed. If Jones' had a route mapped, than Yugi could estimate a place where land would be close by. He and the other two captives could jump off the edge of the boat and ride the waves in.

Yugi walked around Elizabeth, being cautious not to step on her even though he secretly wished he could. Night was starting to fall, and the faint outline of stars could be seen. Yugi walked up the stairs that lead to the wheel. Behind that was a door. Yugi was scared out of his mind, but he knew deep down he needed to do this. Jones' wanted them to be scared; it was how he could control them. If he thought that Yugi wasn't afraid, than his entire plan could be blown out of proportion, no matter what his plan was.

Yugi exhaled deeply through his nose and swallowed the lump in his throat.

'Show no fear.' He thought. 'Pretend to by Yami. Strike fear into him, don't let him strike fear into you.'

He balled his small fist and quickly knocked on the door. In an instant, it opened, with the door being pulled inside the room. Davy Jones' stood in the doorway, a triumphant smirk was placed on his face. He motioned with his claws for Yugi to come in. No words were exchanged between the two, but Yugi entered the room anyways. It was much bigger than he had imagined. There was a table in the center of the room that was about five feet long, with two small chairs at each ends. A large World Map was nailed to one of the walls. It wasn't marked in anyway, but Yugi thought it could still be useful.

To the right of the table was a small nightstand and on top of it was a small, wooden chest. Yugi closed his eyes for a moment and thought he heard a faint noise. It sounded like a drumbeat, but it was had more of a pattern and less of a melody.

_Bump-bump. Bump-bump. Bump-bump._

When he opened his eyes, Yugi could no longer hear the noise, causing him to believe that he had just imagined it all. From behind him, Jones laughed.

"Glad you could make it, boy." He snarled as he walked in front of Yugi.

"W-what do you want?" Yugi asked, doing his best to swallow his fear. Jones glared at Yugi and snorted.

"M-master." Yugi quickly added. The word still felt like poison as he said it, but it was necessary for his survival. If all he had to do to live another day was to address Jones as 'master', then Yugi could swallow his pride enough to do just that. It wasn't worth risking his life. Yami might have had a harder time, but Yami wasn't here right now.

It was just Yugi and Jones. And for the while Yugi was supposed to be dining with him, he would pretend that they were the only living creatures on Earth. That way, he couldn't let his emotions and fear of the Elizabeth and Beckett's safety cloud his judgment. He would have to be extremely cautious on what he said and didn't say.

"Sit down, sit down." Jones said as he ushered Yugi to the nearest chair. Yugi was slightly trembling, but he did his best to control it. With a shaking hand, he pulled out the wooden chair and sat down. Jones made his way over to the other chair, where it had two small boxes underneath it. Jones picked them up and placed them on the table. He slid one of them down the table where Yugi barely caught it before it spilled into his lap. He looked up at Jones confused.

"Don't just sit there!" He barked. "Open it!"

Yugi did so gingerly, unsure of what he might exactly find. The wooden lid was light and it fell over when Yugi barely touched it. He was surprised by what he saw. In the box was bread, cheese, and what appeared to be a sliced up apple. He looked back up at Jones who was busy rummaging through his own box. Yugi couldn't see exactly what he had packed as a dinner, but it smelled awful.

Yugi sniffed, trying to decipher what exactly the food was. It smelled old, and rotten. He watched as Jones' pulled out a bloody mass of something. He ripped into it with his razor sharp teeth, splattering blood all over the table. Some of it landed just millimeters in front of Yugi and he winched. The sight of blood always made him cringe.

Jones started to stare at Yugi, making him uncomfortable. He picked up an apple slice and carefully bit into it. Jones appeared satisfied that the boy was eating, and he returned his attention back to his own food. Yugi watched him for a moment. He ripped into the bloody mass like a shark would rip into a seal. Yugi tried to pick out a distinctive feature on the food, and was surprised when he realized that it was skinny and pointed at the end.

'It's squid.' He realized. The half-squid creature was eating squid. He closed his eyes as he saw Jones prepare to take another bite.

_Bump-bump. Bump-bump. Bump-bump._

There was that noise again. Yugi slowly opened his eyes and tried to find where it had come from, but he couldn't think of a place.

"Go on, boy!" Jones screamed, his mouth half-full of the bloodied squid carcass. "Eat."

Yugi nodded rapidly and, without thinking, picked up the loaf of bread and bit into it. It was surprisingly fresh. It had to be only a few days old at the most. Yugi remembered that Jones and his crew had also stolen supplies off the Pearl. That's where all of this had to have come from. Yugi felt his appetite dwindle at the thought of Yami and Jack, and even Will possibly not having enough food to keep themselves alive. He softly pushed the box away.

"Boy, where be you from?" Jones asked.

"A-a place." Why did he want to know where Yugi came from?

"Answer the question, boy." Jones snarled.

"J-japan. It's by China-"

"I know where it is, boy! I sail the seas, I know every island, every current!" Chunks of raw squid flew out of his mouth. Yugi shuddered when a bit landed right in front of his own food. "If yer from Japan, what were you doing on Sparrow's ship?"

"He-he offered me a j-job."

"Nonsense. Sparrow's never sailed farther than France. How could he have picked you up in Japan, especially when the direction he was taking to France was East?"

"Well, I, uh, I was in Port Royal one day with some relatives.." Yugi lied as fast as he could, spitting out what ever words sounded like they would make sense strung together in a sentence. His eyes never left Jones, and Yugi began to fear that the captain wouldn't believe him. Yugi didn't believe in lying; it was immoral and wrong, but sometimes it was necessary for survival. However, not having much experience in it made Yugi a very bad liar.

"I was helping my aunt. Her husband just recently died, and she needed help raising her baby son." Yugi continued, beginning to lose his stutter as he realized his story was actually making sense. The hard part now was trying to sound as believable as possible so that Jones would take his story as fact.

"I was supposed to go home, but I didn't have enough money for the ship. Jack found me in the port and offered to take me home if I worked on his ship as a cabin boy."

"Then where was Jack the other day? He wasn't on the Pearl. What kind of captain leaves a cabin boy to run his ship?"

"He was in Paris buying some supplies. And, he left me there to watch the ship, just in case," He looked down at his food, and heard his stomach growl. "You know, someone tried to steal it?"

The last part sounded more like a question than a response, and for a moment, Yugi was afraid that his cover would be blown and Jones wouldn't believe a word of it.

"Is that your tale?" He said after a minute of silence.

Yugi nodded. "Yes, master."

Jones stood up and wiped his mouth of blood with his sleeve. "Very well then."

Yugi stared back down at the food. He thought of Will and Elizabeth. "Master?" He asked quietly.

Jones looked to him and grunted. Yugi twiddled his fingers, a habit he did only when he was extremely anxious. "Could you please give some food to my friends? They haven't had anything to eat in nearly two days, and I think it would be very beneficial to both them and yourself if they had something in their system."

"And how would that be beneficial to me?" Jones snapped.

Yugi looked down at his feet and began to shake his right knee. The tremors were starting to take over his body, and Yugi urged them to stay back for at least one more minute. He needed to force down his fear just long enough to make Jones see that Yugi wasn't scared of him, even if that was another lie.

"Well," Yugi began, "if they don't eat, they die. And I remember you telling B-Beckett this m-morning," the stutter was coming back, "that we are more useful to you alive."

Jones snarled, but he thought about it for a moment. "Very well. You and your friends will be receiving regular meals starting tonight."

"T-thank you, master." Yugi bowed his head, a habit his grandfather had forced on him. In Japan, it was a sign of utmost respect. Here, it could be the one gesture that could save his life. Yugi stood up and followed Jones out of the room. He exited the room and Jones had ordered the boy back down to the basement. Yugi did as he was told without any comment or compliant. He had just gotten food for his friends, he didn't want to say anything to make Jones take it away. He ran down the stairs and barely touched stable ground when two arms were wrapped around his neck and pulled him against something.

"Yugi!" Elizabeth cried, keeping him held tight against her chest. "You're okay!" She sobbed, burying her face into Yugi's unkempt hair.

Yugi grabbed onto Elizabeth's hands and tried to pry them off from around his neck. "Can't….breath.." He managed to gasp.

Elizabeth instantly released her grip on the boy, causing him to collapse to his knees. He rubbed his sore neck.

"Yugi, I'm so sorry!" She whispered, dropping to her knees as well.

Yugi was still trying to catch his breath, but he nodded to show Elizabeth that he was okay, he would fine. After a moment, his breathing was stabilized and the adrenaline rush had left. He exhaled through his mouth.

"Yugi, what did Jones what?" Elizabeth asked softly.

Yugi shook his head. "I'm not sure. He asked me where I was from, but that was about it." Yugi looked over his shoulder at Beckett, who was leaning against a wall with his legs stretched out. Yugi frowned and turned back over to Elizabeth. They said nothing, only stared at one another for a moment.

A large bang echoed throughout the boat. Yugi turned around and saw a barrel falling down the stairs. It landed at the bottom in good condition, no cracks could be seen.

"What's that?" Beckett asked, getting up to come examine it.

"Jones said he would be giving us food now." Yugi whispered softly. Beckett snorted and pushed the barrel so it was standing. He removed the lid and pulled out a small, round apple.

"This thing is filled with them." He said quietly. He dug through them for a little bit. "Only apples?"

"It's better than nothing." Elizabeth said, standing up.

Beckett snorted. "Not by a long shot. We can't live off just apples. Where's our protein? Our calcium? Sure, we may be able to live off these things for a week or two, but eventually our bodies will start crave the other nutrients they so desperately need!"

"We'll be fine, Beckett." Elizabeth said, picking up an apple of her own. "There is enough here for us to last about a month if we ration it our correctly."

Beckett raised an eyebrow. "You do realize that would only be one apple a day per person, right?"

"We don't have to eat every day." Elizabeth said.

"Then put that apple down. Save it for tomorrow."

Elizabeth scoffed and was about to prove to Beckett her point. Her hand was lingering over the top layer of apples. She was about to put the one she had picked up back when her stomach rumbled. She placed her free hand over it and winced at the hunger pain she was feeling. She had been hungry before, not even when she was on the Black Pearl with Jack and William. Both men ate like savage beasts, and no matter how long they were at sea, Jack was always prepared. They never ran out of food. The few times the crew had gotten bored with the food Jack had supplied, they simply cast rope into the waters and fished.

Elizabeth wasn't sure if it was a good idea to fish off the deck of this boat. Jones seemed to want them to suffer, so providing them with an alternative source of nutrients was out of the question. And anyways, they didn't have any rope they could fish with. The ones that had been used for their bindings when they originally had been kidnapped were torn to shreds. They would have been too short anyways.

Her palm grew sweaty and was starting to lose it's grip on the apple. Beckett glared at Elizabeth, daring her to drop the apple, to prove that they did not need to eat every day. But it was unfair. She hadn't eaten in two days, and she had suggested that they only eat every other day. Having her go three days without food, even when it was available and in reach, was insane.

She hung her head. "Please, Beckett. It's been days since anyone of us had a meal. Can't we just not worry about it? Just for tonight."

Beckett looked at Elizabeth and saw the pain in her eyes. He sighed. He couldn't let her suffer. It would be wrong to make her starve. They wouldn't worry about food tonight. Tomorrow morning they could divide up rations and plan a meal schedule, but tonight they could eat their fill.

"Okay." Beckett conceded. "We can all eat some tonight, but don't go overboard. We don't know how long we'll be here, or how often Jones will provide us with food."

Elizabeth and Yugi nodded in agreement. Elizabeth took a hearty bite into the apple she was holding, and handed one of too Yugi. Beckett picked up one himself. They ate in silence that night. Nobody had any reassuring words to give one another, or anything about their lives they wanted to share. They just ate. The only sound that could be heard was the munching of the apple cores, and the growling of their stomachs becoming content with their meal.

**Reviews:**

**Elemental Ink: But…but..it's fun to make Jack and Will argue! That's one of the hardest parts about this story: The relationship between Will and Jack. They're supposed to be best friends, but they constantly bicker. I know they may seem OOC most of the time, but they are hard characters to write. However, I think I'm doing a better job than most people.**

**AnzuFan: I understand how it might seem that way, and I appreciate you offering your opinion. When I was writing that chapter, I got the image of Yami being…well, for lack of a better word: Empty. In season 4 when he lost Yugi's soul, Yami was depressed, suicidal, he was a complete mess. In that last chapter, I wanted to make him seem as though he were dead, like nothing mattered anymore.**

**But, nonetheless, when has Yami ever been known to go quietly? :D**

**Dr-fanmai-lover: Uh…I'm sorry, but I could not understand your review at all. Could you please use proper English? **

**AquaGirl 007: My opinion is just as biased as yours. There was one scene I remember watching that really proved to me Bakura was hostile and violent towards Ryou. In the beginning of season 5 (can't remember which episode) Ryou hears Bakura's voice in his head and he runs into a Church. All the candles go out at once and Bakura is rambling on how Ryou promised him he would collect all the items. **

**But, if you're a really big fan, you're probably going to hate me later on….**

**Kairi: Actually, there's not going to be a Beckett backstory. Sorry, but I'm not just sure how. I included that part because I thought it would make sense and explain why he hated pirates so much. Beckett's role in the story is complicated and hard to explain without giving anything away. But I will say that he does have a great impact on the characters. **


	14. The Plot Thickens!

**I'm posting this a day early because tomorrow I have to get teeth pulled for my braces and I didn't think I would feel up to updating then.**

** Sage: Sissy.**

** Hmp. Fan Fiction changed the account pages and I don't like it. I've been meaning to say this for like the past eight chapters but I just never got to it. I apologize for my inability to name chapters. It's just so hard!**

-0-0-0-0-0-

The sun beat down hard onto Bakura's face. He grunted and shifted over to his side, muttering something. He pulled the straw hat he had taken from Billy and used it to cover his eyes. The demon was forced to dispose of the elderly man sooner than expected. He started to become a pest, nagging Bakura about where he had come from, where exactly was he going to, and was he old enough to be traveling the world on his own? It got to such a point that Bakura lost control of his anger and shoved the man forcefully off the boat. He cried for his help, but Bakura grabbed the oars and rowed away, his knapsack safely secured.

The wind had blown the hat off Billy and back onto the boat. Bakura saw no need to get rid of it, so he kept it and watched from a distance as Billy's head bobbed up and down in the waves until he went down and never came back up. A seagull cawed as it flew over Bakura and defecated over the boat. The white bird crap landed only inches in front of Bakura's face, causing the Tomb Robber to jump up. He cursed in every language he knew and shot a wave of shadow magic that hit the seagull right in the abdomen. It landed inside the dingy, twitched once, and then died.

Bakura stared at it and licked his lips in gluttony. He hadn't had any meat in week and the animal inside him was screaming to tear apart the seagull.

So he did just that.

Once he had torn the bird in two, he began the difficult job of plucking the feathers without pulling off any of the meat. It was a delicate job, and Bakura lacked the patience to do it, so he shot the bird once more with his shadow magic, barbecuing it. The feathers had burned off and the pink flesh was scorched black. Bakura eagerly ripped off a piece of meat and bit into, gnawing at it like a wild animal. He finished the poultry within minutes and soon found himself hungry once more.

Bakura growled and began to claw at his thighs. His nails dug in deep enough to draw blood, he didn't notice. Even with the protein in his system, his stomach was still begging for food. Bakura did not even have a piece of fruit to satisfy himself with. He glanced over the side of the boat at the waters, looking for a fish he might be able to catch. He only saw his reflection. Dirty, bruised, and with some bird feces in his hair, Bakura lashed out at the water in repulsion. He slapped it hard, making the water ripple and swim away.

It wasn't a permanent solution. Within moments, the water had calmed down and was starting to move back into the original position, unfazed, as though nothing had happened.

The sun was starting to beat harder down Bakura's back. His pale skin was beginning to turn red and sweaty. He shed his shirt and dipped it into the salt water. He wrung out all the extra water and wrapped the shirt around his head, tying it at the back. He fumed as he scanned the horizon and saw nothing. The Millennium Ring was now exposed over his bare chest. The middle compass continued to point in the direction Bakura was going, but he had come across nothing for days. The demon began to question the accuracy of his Ring. But, past experiences told him that the Ring was never wrong. Bakura just had to be patient.

But then again, Bakura wasn't a very patient person to begin with. He dug through his knapsack, digging to the bottom. From there he pulled out the Millennium Puzzle. It was heavy and it reflected the sunlight, redirecting it into Bakura's eyes. He stared at it like nothing was happen, the golden rays having no effect on his corneas. It twisted on the chain Bakura held, slowly revolving until the front of it was facing Bakura. There was a medium sized hole in the middle of the face, mocking Bakura. The Tomb Robber placed the Puzzle down into his right hand and ran his thumb over it repeatedly.

"Where are you?" He whispered, almost expecting an answer. Almost, but not quite. Bakura cursed under his breath and threw the Puzzle back into the bag, not giving it a second thought.

'Damn Pharaoh.' Bakura thought. 'That explosion was supposed to kill you! What went wrong?' He stared down at the hand that casts the spell, the one that should've disposed of Yami and Yugi. He clenched his fists as he recalled what had happened that night.

-0-0-0-0-

The black bolt shot of out of his hand and struck Yami between the eyes. The Pharaoh cried out in pain and slumped forward, face down on the ground. Bakura watched with pride. Finally, he was able to avenge his family and friends. After five millennia of trying, he would be able to see them once more in the Afterlife. He's life quest was complete. Bakura got down on his knees and went to reach for the Puzzle, his prize. He touched it, but it instantly became burning hot. Bakura released his grip and yelped in pain. The Puzzle began to glow a dim yellow. Stunned, Bakura slowly stood up and watched.

Yami's body was consumed by the glow. A shadow casted out to his side and the dark form was also glowing.

"What the hell?" Bakura muttered.

The dark form became more solid. It was smaller than the Pharaoh, but it was the same shape. Bakura sucked in his breath. It was Yugi. Both young men were face down on the floor unconscious. Bakura didn't know what he had just done. The glowing stopped and he thought it was safe, so he reached for the Puzzle once more, but the burning sensation had intensified. The Eye of Horus, the source of the Puzzle's untimely power, began to spark. It hissed and spewed out little tiny bits of electricity.

Bakura stepped back. The sparks began to fly out faster and farther. One of them flew above Bakura's head and onto the ceiling where a gas pipe was running along.

'Shit!' Bakura thought, but it was too late. The pipe caught on fire. The heat was so hot, the metal pipe melted and fell, pulling down the fire escape. Bakura watched as the group of hostages fell down. Even he cringed when Mr. Motou fell down onto a metal pole. The blackened rod had entered through his chest and came straight out his back. He knew he had to get out of there, but Bakura still needed to collect the Puzzle.

The cackling of fire grew louder. Bakura growled. He would have to collect it later. Even though he hated it, Bakura turned around and ran out of the warehouse as fast as his feet would take him. He had won the Shadow Duel, so it didn't matter that he hadn't gotten the Puzzle, it wouldn't work for the Pharaoh anymore. Or would any of the other Items. A grin found its way onto Bakura's face. He could still collect his debts. He took a detour down a nearby road and made his way to the Pharaoh's house. He had a Millennium Necklace and Rod to obtain. They would go perfectly with his Millennium Ring and Eye. Soon, he would get the collector's piece: The Puzzle.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Bakura inhaled through his teeth. The Pharaoh had abandoned the useless Puzzle at his house, but he still took a piece of it, making it useless to Bakura as well. He was smart, Bakura had to give him that. The Puzzle could only use its powers when in one piece. The only mistake the Pharaoh had made was keeping the piece when he could've easily disposed of it. That's what Bakura had thought he'd done at first. But, the Ring was proving the piece was moving. It was moving too quickly to be an occurrence of nature, and the way it moved didn't make any sense. The Ring would point North one day, but Bakura could be standing in the same place the next day and the Ring would point South. The Pharaoh was leading him on quite the chase, but Bakura didn't really mind.

To Bakura, this entire thing was nothing more than a game. A game of wits and of strategy. Just like the hunter tracks down and waits patiently for the buck, he would wait patiently for his prey. It would make killing Yami all the more pleasurable, especially if Bakura got a chance to torture him mentally at first.

Bakura hadn't given much thought to what he would do with Yugi. He had originally planned to keep the boy alive just long enough to watch his spirit break. But now that he thought about it, his revenge on the Pharaoh would be much more enjoyable if he made Yami suffer by taking away the only thing precious to him: Yugi.

Yes…He would kill Yugi right in front of the Pharaoh. It would be painful, as painful as Bakura could physically make possible. Bakura would watch as Yami was forced to hear his only friend scream in pure agony and watch as the life slowly drained from Yugi's violet eyes. Once he was done, Yami would surely be begging Bakura to take his life. He would want to die after witnessing Yugi's murder. Bakura smirked as he imagined Yami, once a person of royalty, get on his hands and knees, begging for his life to be taken, swearing it was his punishment for failing his only God-given duty: Protect Yugi at all costs.

And then Bakura would do the most horrific thing he could in that situation: Keep Yami alive. He would let the spirit of the puzzle suffer, making it known to him each and every day that he had failed his light. While his light was screaming in pain, Yami had only watched and done nothing. It would only be a matter of time before the Pharaoh would succumb low enough that he would take his own life.

Bakura mused at the idea of Yami killing himself. He chuckled darkly. "Oh, how the mighty have fallen." He said, thinking his fantasy had already happened. He had dug so deep into the corridors of his mind; he believed that everything he had just imagined really happened. His hands tightened on the oars, which caused Bakura to stiffen. He opened his eyes and saw that he was still in the old, beat up, rowboat out in the middle of the ocean.

Reality came back to Bakura. He growled, realizing that all that had been just a fantasy. He shook his head and peeled off the shirt that had begun to stick to his forehead. It was hard and dry; most of the water had evaporated, but it left all the salt. Bakura wiped his finger on the sleeve and licked the sodium off his fingers. It tasted sweeter than he expected, and soon Bakura was licking the salt straight of the shirt. His chest felt warm. Bakura glanced down. The Ring was going crazy. The Eye of Horus was glowing brighter than ever before, making a low humming sound like a swarm of approaching honey bees. This time, all five compasses were standing up and pointing. They were almost seizing, trembling ever so slightly from left to right.

The Puzzle piece was nearby. Not only was the Ring saying that, but Bakura could feel it. He could feel the power of that one piece in the air, as though it were calling out to him. It was only meters away. The sun was now starting to set over the horizon, blanketing darkness around the waters. A large wave came and carried Bakura distance. He turned around the collect his knapsack of Millennium Items when he felt a force. The dingy had run into something, flinging Bakura forward. Luckily he had a good grip on his bag and nothing fell overboard. When he collected himself, Bakura turned around.

The dingy had hit a ship. A rather large ship that emanated a low, green glow. Bakura heard the scuffling of boots and the voice of a man. A rope was thrown off the edge of the ship, left dangling only inches in front of Bakura's face. He looked at the rope for a moment, unsure of what exactly to do. It was pulled up a little bit, then released back down. It started to sway right and left like a metronome. The ship owner wanted Bakura on it. The Tomb Robber was hesitant. He was not afraid of what might be up there, but more of what might not be up there. The Ring was saying that the puzzle piece was on this ship, so the Pharaoh had to be on there. But, there was that nagging sensation in the back of Bakura's mind, telling him something was wrong.

Bakura could faintly hear a voice in his head screaming at him to turn around. To his dislike, the voice sounded a lot like Ryou's.

_ Turn around!_ It screamed. _Turn around now!_

'No.' Bakura told the voice. 'The Pharaoh is here. I need to kill him. I need to avenge my father.'

_Something is dangerous about this ship!_

'And since when have I ever cared about danger?' Bakura snapped, irritated at the cowardliness of the voice.

_You don't know what you're getting yourself into…_The voice became less frantic and more of a whisper, like it was beginning to give up it's fight.

Bakura snorted. "I know damn well what I'm getting myself into." He said aloud. "I'm getting myself into the Afterlife. A place I should've had the privilege of enter _five _millennia ago." He grabbed his knapsack and threw it over his left shoulder. He stood up in the boat which rocked, almost spilling Bakura out. The Thief King fell forward, hitting his shoulder against the side of the strange boat. He uttered a few choice words as he stepped back and massaged his sore joint.

_Please…_The voice sounded as though it were crying. _Don't go._

Bakura bit his lip, starting to wonder where this voice was coming from. It didn't sound anything like him. It sounded childish, weak and pathetic. Like a small child who got separated from his mother.

'Shut up and leave me alone!' Bakura thought angrily, He grabbed the rope and pulled himself up. He placed his feet onto the side of the boat and began to walk up the ship. The voice had begun to dwindle. Bakura could feel it leaving. His consciousness started to feel empty, but he ignored it by filling up the gap with anger and hatred.

'Soon. Very soon.' Bakura thought as he reached the railing on the ship. A big, beefy, pink claw stuck out over the edge. Bakura took the offered appendage and was pulled up onto the Flying Dutchman.

-0-0-0-0-0-

"No! No! No!" Ryou cried, pounding his fist on the cement that surrounded the fountain. He was on his hands and knees, crying. "No! He wasn't supposed to get on the ship!"

"Hey, hey, easy man." Tristan comforted, hoisting Ryou up to his feet. "You did the best you could."

"But it wasn't good enough!" Ryou screamed. "He needed to go away, leave the ship!"

"Ryou," Tea said softly, running over to her friend, "nobody blames you. We know how hard it was for you to make that mind connection with Bakura. You tried and that's all that matters."

The white-haired teen shook his head. "I've spent months practicing entering his mind, and for months I failed!" Ryou pressed his thumb and pointer finger together. "But when it really mattered, I failed."

"Man," Joey said with his arms crossed, "We're not supposed to interfere with the realm of the living anyways. If He found what we've been doing for all this time, we'll be in deep dodo."

Ryou sniffed and walked back over to the fountain. The image had been frozen in the picture of Bakura grabbing the crab claw and being hoisted up onto the alien ship. He growled and slapped the water with his hand, making the picture disappear. He looked up at his friends: Joey, Tristan, and Tea had their heads lowered. They were upset as well. Ryou sucked in his breath.

"I'm sorry, guys." He said, walking back over to the group. "It's just…Yugi doesn't need Bakura to deal with at this moment. He has enough problems as is."

Joey nodded in agreement. "Poor little guy…does he still blame himself for our deaths?"

"It's Yugi, man." Tristan said. "What else would you expect? You know he's not gonna ever come to the realization that he had nothing to do with it." Tristan chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Tea asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yugi always forgives anybody without a second thought. But, for some reason he can never forgive himself."

"Why should he?" Tea said. "He thinks he's the reason for our deaths. You know as well as I do that Yugi's as stubborn as mule. He's going to think he killed us for the rest of his life."

Joey sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "What do we do? If Bakura doesn't kill Yugi, than Jones surely will. Are we just supposed to sit and watch while that happens?"

"I think so." Ryou whispered softly. "You know that the Holy One doesn't want us interfering with Yugi's path. We've helped him as much we can. There really is nothing we can do now."

Everyone was silent for a moment. Then, Tea spoke up.

"Maybe not." She said quietly. Then before the boys could respond, Tea turned around and ran off in a mad dash.

"Hey! Wait!" Joey called, running after her. Tristan and Ryou were right behind Joey, following after their female friend.

"Tea!" Tristan screamed. "What are you up too?"

The brunette ignored them and only picked up her pace, leaving the three boys in the dust. When she got enough distance away from them, she turned and looked over her shoulder, but continued to run.

"Come on!" She urged. The three boys exchanged glances, nodded, than ran faster, quickly catching up with Tea. Side by side, the four friends ran. The three boys huffed and puffed as they struggled to keep up their female friend, who was skinnier and more athletic than they were.

"Anzu!" Ryou cried, using the girl's Biblical name. "What are you thinking?"

Tea turned back and showed a genuine smile. It was the first time the boys had seen her smile like that since they arrived in the Heaven, and something about it made them feel better.

"You'll see!" She exclaimed. "Just follow me!" She picked up speed, running towards a dim gate that was slowly appearing in the distance.

-0-0-0-0-0-

**I hope nobody minds the religious themes that have appeared in this chapter…They won't last much longer though, I can guarantee that.**

**Reviews:**

**Elemental Ink: Glad I'm not being to OOC. No, Jones didn't eat the rest of his crew. :D I'm too lazy to include to the entire set because there's so many of them so I just…killed them. The reason I thought Jones would ask Yugi where he came from was because Jones wants to figure out the track Jack is on. If Jones can figure out the route Jack has taken, maybe he'll be able to figure out where exactly Jack is headed.**

**Deadpoolhulk: I always like your reviews; they make me feel better about my writing.**

**Kairi: Yeah, summer!...*pouts***

**Sage: What's wrong?**

**It's summer…that means swim suit season.**

**Sage: Oh. I'm sorry.**

**Aqua Girl 007: Yeah, school starts for me in August so we get out in May.**

**Now that's one thing the anime never explained: Was 'Bakura' really Zork or was Bakura just a servant to Zork? Because when Bakura is battling Yami he tells Yami that he's Zork, but yet there are four Bakura's running every which way the entire season. It never made sense because it never explains how his spirit gets trapped in the Ring in the first place. Gaah! It's so confusing! **

**But, I've included Bakura into the main plot. Does that make you happy? :D**

**Yami-Marik-4-Ever: Don't worry, it wasn't really explained in the chapter.**

**Jones really wants to find Jack, so he asked Yugi where he was from to try and figure out the path Jack had taken. He thought it he could figure out the route Jack had taken previously, he could map out the next possible route. I know I didn't really explain it into depth in that last chapter, but I hope I was able to ease some confusion. **


	15. Meeting Our Fear

**I saw Pirates of the Caribbean 4 the other day! Three words: It. Was. EPIC!**

**Sage: Remember the part where Jack and Blackbeard were all like-**

**Bad, Sage! No spoilers! Let our readers find out for themselves when they see the movie.**

**Sage:….Kill joy. **

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Yugi was scared, no terrified, when he saw Jones pull up the strange figure that had crashed into the Flying Dutchman. He couldn't see the person right away, but something in the pit of his stomach told him it wasn't good. Something deep in the recesses of his mind told him to run. Under normal circumstances, he would've been long gone by now. But here, there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Yugi would have to face his fear right now. From the top of the stairs in the bottom corridors, he saw Jones stick his hand over the edge.

Then, as Jones pulled the mysterious person, Yugi saw a flash of white. He gasped and ran to the inner most part of the basement. He found a quiet corner and pulled himself into a ball. He shook his head and began to cry.

"No…no…" He whispered as he rocked himself back and forth. He couldn't believe it. The one person he had spent the worst days of his life avoiding, had finally found him. "Not him….Please, God, don't let it be him!"

But Yugi knew he couldn't fool himself. He had seen that person with his own eyes, and he knew they weren't playing tricks on him. Even his mind wouldn't do something that devious to its owner. Yugi had to accept the reality of the situation: Bakura was on the ship. And he was here to kill Yugi. Just thinking about that made Yugi cry even harder. His body started to go into mini convulsions and the tremors made the wood beneath him creak.

Elizabeth awoke groggily and struggled to sit up. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and squinted over at Yugi. Once she realized he was upset, she was completely awake. Careful as to not wake up Beckett, Elizabeth slowly stood up and walked over to her fellow companion. She got on her knees beside him and began to rub his back. The boy didn't seem to notice her presence.

"Yugi," she whispered motherly, "what's wrong?"

Yugi brought his head above his knees, but kept his eyes glued to the floor. He didn't want to look at anybody, much less talk with anyone. But, he didn't have it in him to just ignore Elizabeth. They had become friends during their time on the Pearl, and she was just trying to do what friends do: Help each other, be there for one another.

"B-Bakura is o-on the s-ship!" Yugi cried softly.

Elizabeth gasped. Bakura? Wasn't that the man that had killed all of his friends? The one that was searching the Earth to kill Yugi and Yami?

"How?" She asked, beginning to feel tears of her own prick her eyelids and they struggled to fall.

Yugi went into another set of small tremors. "I-I saw Jones pu-pull him up onto the ship! He took him to the other side of the ship! I…I…" Yugi couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence. He was overcome with such an intense sense of fear and desperation. It was like someone was holding a gun to his head; he _knew _he was going to die. The big question was when. When would Bakura do his deed? Would it be quick and painless, like the deaths of his friends? Or would Bakura stretch out his death, making it long and painful? Yugi didn't really want to die. Suicide had always been an option in the past, but deep down, he didn't want to die. He didn't want to take the coward's way out.

Yugi shivered as images of his death flashed through his mind. But, the biggest thing that scared him was the possibility that Bakura had already gotten to Yami. If he was here then he must have killed Yami. If he killed Yami then he had to have killed Jack and Will. The thought made Yugi sink even further into his depression. If Bakura had already killed Yami, was there any point in him trying to fight off the villain? If Yami was dead…if Yugi's last connection to his past was gone….

"Oh, Yugi," Elizabeth said, hugging the boy, "I-I don't know what to say." She began to gently pet his hair in an attempt to calm him down. Her motherly instincts took over and she rocked him slowly and did her best to comfort him, the best way she could under the current circumstances, "But, I promise, I won't let him hurt you. I promise I won't let him to do any more damage to you than he's already done." Elizabeth said these things and she meant every word of them. She had become rather protective of Yugi within the last few weeks. He was like a younger brother to her, and this Bakura person was nothing more than a bully, a bully who had stolen everything important from his life. Just like a big sister, Elizabeth wanted to track down that bully and make him suffer for even thinking of hurting Yugi. She would give him hell and Elizabeth was quite sure that even the most painful form of revenge she could think of would still be letting him off easy.

"It'll be okay." She said quietly. Yugi had calmed down a little bit in her arms, but tears were still cascading down his face. "I'll kill him personally if that is what it takes."

Yugi whimpered and shook his head. "You can't kill him!" He cried, burying his face into Elizabeth's shoulder. "He's immortal!"

Elizabeth furrowed her eyebrows. Immortal? There was no possible way. The only person on Earth who was immortal was Jones, and it was magic that kept his heart beating. And anyways, the World needed Davy Jones. It needed someone to ferry the dead. Bakura couldn't be immortal. He had no reason to live on forever.

But then again…

He was five thousand years old. His spirit did reside inside an ancient object, as did Yami's. If he really was born back in ancient Egypt, then he had to be immortal.

"There has to be a way to kill him, Yugi." Elizabeth comforted. "Even Jones has his own alkies heel."

"And what would that be?" Yugi cried, wondering if there was a way to eliminate their captor, why hadn't they done it yet?

Elizabeth sighed. "I don't know. But, I do know there is a way, and if Jones can be killed, than so can Bakura. Nobody lives forever." She soothed. Yugi sniffed, letting her words sink into his mind. She was right. There had to be a way to kill Bakura. But even if he did find out Bakura's weakness, could he kill him? Could he kill the man that destroyed his life? Yugi wasn't violent by nature; he loved all life, and even though the spirit of the ring ruined Yugi's life, the young boy didn't think he had it in him to kill Bakura.

He clung to Elizabeth and started to calm down; his eyes were beginning to dry up. He was still scared. Like a criminal on death row, he knew that he was going to die, but the big question was when.

If the circumstances were in his favor, could Yugi kill Bakura? The young man clenched his eyes shut, and forced his mind to its happy place, away from reality and away from the fear. He just wanted to escape the fear, to be reunited with Yami. Maybe they could go back home, back to Domino, once this was all over. Maybe they could restart their lives and just forget about their previous ones. The one that included Tea, Joey, Tristan, Ryou, Grandpa, the one where they dueled in the Shadow Realm and struggled to collect the seven Millennium Items. They could just forget about all of it, let go of the pain and focus on a new life.

'Stupid, stupid, stupid!' Yugi thought, mentally punching himself. 'I couldn't forget about my friends-no, my family, if I tried. They are a part of me. They made up a part of my soul.' Yugi let out a pained sobbed and Elizabeth rubbed his back, trying to soothe him. Yugi was thankful for the woman's companionship. During the time on the Black Pearl, when he and Yami had been fighting, she was there for him, urging him to try and made amends with his friend. She genuinely tried to make sure the two boys made up, because she knew that friends shouldn't fight.

As Elizabeth looked down at the broken, sobbing boy who was clinging to her shirt, she became even angrier. This bully has screwed up Yugi's life enough, and she was going to make sure that he got just what he deserved. 'I promise Yugi,' she thought darkly, 'I will help you defeat this menace.'

-0-0-0-0-0-

Davy Jones and Bakura sat at the small table in the Captain's Quarters. Jones was a bit annoyed. He was surprised when he saw the awful excuse for a boat crash into his. The small rowboat barely scratched the splinters off the Flying Dutchman, but Jones was still pissed that the boat crashed into his own so carelessly. It was as though the captain, this odd looking young man before him, was not paying attention to the ocean at all. As far as Jones was concerned, only the most competent person should be allowed to sail. There were too many idiots these days sailing the seas, running into and killing one another. It was making too much work for Jones.

The odd looking young man stood with his arms crossed across his chest, and a small satchel handing from his shoulder. He was glaring at Jones, trying to intimidate the captain. Jones thought the boy was quite pitiful, the way he tried too hard to make other people afraid of him. He hadn't even heard the man speak and he already knew everything there was to know about the boy's personality just by observing his body language: He wanted people to fear him. He often tried too hard to do so, making him look more of a fool than someone to be afraid of. He also was searching for something. Jones could figure this out by watching how the boy's eyes constantly shifted around the room, diving into every nook and cranny there was in the Captain's Quarters. Jones sneered. He wasn't too sure what it was this person wanted, but he inference he would get some enjoyment out of him.

"Who are you and whadda want?" Jones asked.

The boy glared down at the captain, then scoffed. "My name is Bakura. As for what I want…" He trailed off for a moment and looked down at his shoes, trying to find the right words to say. After a few seconds, he looked back up and met Jones in the beady little black eyes. "I have reason to believe you are harboring someone. Someone I am after."

Jones found an arrogant smile come onto his pink, scaly face. "Is that so? And who would it be you that you want? The only people aboard this vessel are I and my crew."

"So you aren't holding two young men?"

Jones found himself surprised by Bakura's response. 'Young men?' He thought, confused. 'He must be talking about that little boy I dug up at Paris. But, who is the other man? He can't possibly mean that coward Beckett.'

Jones cleared his throat. "I have three humans on my ship; only one of them matches your description."

Bakura began to grow excited at the news. A devious smirk was growing on the demon's pasty face, revealing a row of sharp, pointed teeth to Davy Jones. "May I see him?"

Jones laughed at the idea. "What's in it for me, boy?"

Bakura closed his eyes and shrugged. "A fair question." He dug into his pockets which made a jingling sound. He pulled out a handful of coins, the many he had managed to steal from unsuspecting civilians. He placed the currency down on the table with a loud cling!-as each individual coin fell from Bakura's hand onto the hard wood.

"Fifty pieces of eight." Bakura said proudly. Jones' eyes widened in greed and Bakura took note in this. The Thief felt his adrenaline pumping; a feeling he always had enjoyed, ever since he was a little boy stealing bread from the local market, even before his village had been destroyed. "Feel free to count them." Bakura taunted. "I can wait a while."

Jones picked up the gold coins and let them fall over his claw, clinging once more on the table. He looked back up at Bakura, and the young man was grinning deviously at him. Jones felt something inside him change; he complied with the boy's demands.

"Let me go get him." Jones said.

Bakura's eyes widened in delight. "Of course." He said, trying to conceal his excitement. But inside, he was screaming, jumping for joy. 'Finally!' He thought. 'Finally, after nearly a year, I'll get my hands on that stupid little brat!'

Jones turned around and left the room, leaving Bakura alone. The Thief King was alone in his thoughts, but he was still able to hear the soft, unusual sound that echoed throughout the room.

_Bump-bump. Bump-bump. Bump-bump._

-0-0-0-0-

Jones hastily walked down the flight of stairs that led to the main deck. He had no idea what the Bakura figure wanted with his youngest slave, but if he could get fifty pieces of eight out of that sucker, maybe someone would be willing to pay more. After all, the boy was young and fit; he would make a good worker for anyone who had enough money to pay the price. Young men didn't come cheap, after all.

Jones came to the doorway and walked down the stairs. He came to the end, and in the dim moonlight could make out the figure of the boy and girl, huddled together in the corner. The apple barrel he had thrown down earlier was tucked away in a corner, a large dent had been made in the stack of apples. The young couple hadn't noticed Jones' presence, and the captain used that to his advantage.

He walked briskly towards the youth, who had heard him and looked up. The fear was evident in his eyes and the enlightened Jones even more. He was only a foot in front of them when the girl turned around and spotted him; she gasped, and Jones watched with mild amusement as the girl's grip tightened around the boy.

"You have a visitor, boy." Jones said mockingly and he reached down and grabbed Yugi by the collar of his shirt. He yelped as Jones pulled him up forcefully.

"Let him go!" Elizabeth hissed through her teeth, jumping up onto her feet.

"Do you dare to command me?" Jones laughed, amused at the idea of a mutiny. He shoved Yugi behind him and watched as the anger in Elizabeth's eyes intensified tenfold.

"Let. Him. Go." She repeated, slowly and angrily.

"I think not." Jones replied, enjoying the game the woman was making. "I have a business matter to attend to and my client would like to meet this young man." Without waiting for Elizabeth to respond, Jones shoved Yugi against the floor. The boy hissed in pain and Jones chuckled. He grabbed Yugi by the arm and hoisted him, planting the boy firmly on his feet.

He dragged the child all the way to the stairs. The woman remained in her spot, unsure of what she could to do to stop the man from taking Yugi away. She watched helplessly as Yugi tried to free himself of Jones, but the creature held him in a vice grip. He dug his feet into the wood, trying to slow down momentum enough for his arm to slip from Jones' grasp, but it ended up with Yugi falling forward and Jones dragged him up the stairs.

Yugi looked down at Elizabeth, tears in his eyes. He was going to die. He was sure of it. Bakura was finally going to kill him and Elizabeth and Beckett would be left all alone, forced to deal with Jones all by their selves. He didn't want to think about what hardships they would have to endure. He just wished that Bakura would do his deed swiftly and be done with it.

Yugi blinked and Jones continued to drag him across the boat and to the Captain's Quarters. There was no point in fighting; it was destiny for his time to come like this. You cannot change destiny. Yugi thought of his friends and actually smiled.

'At least I'll get to pay for my sins.' He thought, loving the idea of retribution. He would get to pay for his evil deed the only way he could: by giving up his own life. Yugi looked up at his master and saw a brown door in front of him. The captain shoved it opened and simply threw Yugi inside the room. He skidded to the other side, the wood burned his skinned. He cried out in pain and heard a dark, deep chuckle. He recognized it instantly.

"You two play nice." Yugi heard Jones say. And then he heard the sound of a door being slammed shut, and the rattling of pictures hanging on the neighboring wall. Yugi heard footsteps approaching him, and they didn't sound friendly.

Bakura grabbed Yugi by his hair and pulled him up. Before Yugi could comprehend what was happening, Bakura threw Yugi up against a wall and got up close to the boy, pressing their foreheads together. Yugi's eyes were closed in fear and his body began to tremble.

"Where is he?" Bakura barked, keeping Yugi pinned to the wall by his hair. "Where is the Pharaoh?"

Yugi whimpered and silently prayed to whatever deity that might have been listening to him at that moment. 'Please,' he prayed, 'make it as quick as possible.'

"Where is he?" Bakura repeated, slamming Yugi's head against the wall. He cried in pain.

"I-I don't know!" Yugi screamed. Yugi felt a hand wrap itself around his throat and Bakura was getting his face closer to Yugi's.

"What do you mean, 'you don't know'?" Bakura demanded.

Yugi was struggling to breathe as Bakura strangled him. His tongue felt fat in his mouth as blood flow was reduced to every part of his body. "I…don't…know!" Yugi wheezed, starting to feel lightheaded. "We…..got separated!" He opened his eyes to look at his attacker and saw that his vision was beginning to blur.

"How long ago?"

'He wants to kill Yami….Yami is still alive…'Yugi thought slowly. 'I…can't…let him…do that….' "A…few weeks ago." Yugi lied, hoping he could spare Yami's life by doing so. They had really only gotten separated a few days ago. Not even a week had passed since his kidnapping.

"Where?" Bakura screamed. "Where did you get separated?"

Yugi felt his eyelids get heavy, and everything began to sound funny. He tried to pull Bakura's hand off his throat, but he was too weak. "P-p-paris!" Yugi gasped. He heard Bakura grunt, and then Yugi was thrown to the ground, free from Bakura's grasp. Yugi instinctively put his own hand around his neck, doing his best to protect it as he gasped for air. He panted heavily and felt like he was going to vomit. Yugi watched as Bakura walked over to the table and dug through the small backpack on top of it. Yugi instantly recognized it as his own schoolbag. He heard the clanking of metals and felt his heart drop onto his stomach. He knew what was in the bag.

Yugi ignored the pain his body was in and jumped up, running to the door. He was right at it when all of a sudden he froze in his place. He willed his feet to go further, his arms to push open the door, but he was unable too.

"Turn around." Bakura commanded. Yugi unwillingly complied with the thief's commands and saw the Millennium Rod, safe and secure in his pale, white hands. Bakura smirked. "On your knees." He continued.

Yugi felt his knees buckle and he fell on top of them, unable to take his eyes of Bakura. Bakura began to circle Yugi like a vulture, all the time keeping his eyes glued to the boy.

"I think you haven't been fully honest with me, Yugi."

"I've been perfectly—"

"Shut up!"

Yugi felt the ability for him to speak fall out of his control. It was like he had been gagged.

"As I was saying," Bakura went on, keeping his eye on Yugi's head, front and back, "I think you've been lying to me. But, first thing is first." A dark glint of greed flashed in Bakura's eye and Yugi felt himself scared beyond belief. "Give me the puzzle piece. I know you have it. The Ring tracked it and lead me to you."

'No!' Yugi thought, since he could not speak. 'No! I won't do it! I-'

To his utter terror, his hand was digging in his pant pocket. Yugi tried to win back control his body. It was possible. Joey had done back in Battle City! Joey…

'Is dead…"

Yugi lost all hope and allowed his hand to pull the puzzle piece, the last connection he had to his past life, out of the pocket. He placed it in Bakura's open palm. The Thief quickly clamped his fingers over it.

"Thank you, Little Yugi." He said deviously. "Now, tell me: Where is the Pharaoh?"

"I don't know!" Yugi said, free from the silencing spell the Rod had placed over him. But unfortunately, he couldn't say anything more than that.

Bakura raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Did you really get separated? Or are you just trying to hoodwink me, you pathetic little brat?"

"We got separated! We really, truly did!"

"Where?"

"Paris!"

Bakura scowled. Yugi was lying about something. He knew that for a fact. But how? Only a handful of people were ever available to break free of the powers that Rod placed over them. Not everybody had that kind of willpower, and Bakura highly doubted that Yugi was one of those handful of people.

"When?" Bakura asked quietly, growing impatient with each passing second. "When did you and the Pharaoh get separated from one another?"

"A few days ago."

Bakura raised an amusing eyebrow. "Oh, really?" He stopped circling Yugi and was directly in front of the trembling boy. He turned and stared Yugi right in the eye. "But, you told me it was weeks ago! Did Little Yugi tell a lie?"

"Y-yes."

Bakura grinned. "Thank you, Yugi. Now I can fulfill my quest. But, that leaves one question still on the table: What do I do with you? I don't want a little liar tagging along with me while I search for the Pharaoh, but you could prove to be quite useful. So tell me," He placed the Rod inches away from Yugi's face, the Eye of Hours stared him down, making Yugi whimper.

"Should I kill you? Should I spare you and let you watch will I kill the Pharaoh? What will it be, Yugi?"

Yugi hung his head in shame, tears began to fall down his face once more. Normally, he wouldn't let himself appear so weak in front of an enemy, but he was at the point where he just didn't care anymore. He didn't care if he appeared weak or strong, helpful or a nuisance, none of it mattered anymore. None of it.

"Just…just kill me." Yugi whispered so softly his voice was almost inaudible.

"Speak up, please." Bakura said maliciously, enjoying seeing his younger rival break down like a little child.

"Just kill me!" Yugi shouted. He fell onto his hands and brought his hand down the floor, like he was bowing down to Bakura, like he was surrendering to the man he had spent a good portion of his life fighting. And he was. "Just kill me now!" Yugi wailed, keeping his face down, not wanting Bakura to see him break down any more than he already had.

"You want me to kill you?"

Yugi nodded, but kept quiet. He couldn't find the words he wanted to say; his voice was lost in his throat and his tongue felt numb as it sat idly in his mouth.

"Are you sure? Death is irreversible. Once it's done, it's done."

"I don't care!" Yugi screamed, pounding his fist onto the wooden floor. "I don't care!" He looked up at Bakura with utter desperation in his eyes as evident as the sunlight. "Please, Bakura. I'm begging you…."

"You are begging me?" Bakura repeated. "You expect sympathy from me?"

"Not sympathy." Yugi whispered, shaking his head. "Mercy. Please, Bakura, just kill me! Just kill me and you can be done with your deed. You can avenge your family; you can complete your life's quest. You can move on with your life."

Bakura bit his lip and began to rub the Rod up and down. He glanced over at Yugi. "I cannot move on until the Pharaoh pays for his sin." He placed the Rod directly in front of Yugi and glanced away. "I can't deal with you right now. I'm not going to kill you. And least not yet. If we come across the Pharaoh you could prove to be the perfect bartering tool. As for now, just go to sleep."

The Rod glowed and Yugi felt his body become heavy. His arms were like jelly and he collapsed, asleep. Bakura looked down at the sleeping boy and he felt repulsion creep up on him. He shook his head. He picked Yugi up and tossed the boy over his shoulder. He walked out of the room. Jones was waiting patiently outside and was surprised when he saw Yugi hanging unconscious over Bakura's shoulder. Without saying a word, Bakura walked past the captain and sprinted towards the basement. He figured that's where Jones had to have kept the hostages, because it was the only place where there was room.

He walked down the stairs and placed Yugi down on the floor. He heard a gasp and looked up. He spotted a young woman on the opposite of the room. Her hand was covering her mouth and she was staring down at Yugi. Her eyes were quivering. She looked up at Bakura and said loudly, though shakily, "What did you do to him?"

Bakura looked back down at Yugi. The young man held a pained expression, but Bakura felt nothing. He glanced back up at the woman and snarled.

"Whatever I did do, I could've done a hell of a lot worse. You should be thanking me, you ungrateful little broad. I _could _have killed him."

Elizabeth said nothing, she did not even comment about the vulgar insult Bakura had thrown at her. She just watched as Bakura turned around and walked back up the stairs. Once he was out of sight, she slowly crawled over to Yugi, careful not to wake up Beckett, who was sleeping against the left wall. Elizabeth wondered how he managed to sleep through everything, but decided that Yugi was more of a priority right now. She placed her two forefingers against his neck and sighed in relief when she felt a strong pulse. His breathing was regular as well. Elizabeth smiled and looked back up the stairs, wondering what made the evil bastard spare Yugi.

**Reviews:**

**Kairi: Don't worry; Sage knocked in a few of his teeth for me!**

**Sage: Serves that bastard right. He stuck a 2 inch needle into my gums, twice, and into the roof of my mouth. Twice. It hurt!**

**Yes it did. Anyways, glad you liked the Afterlife part. I was hesitant to put that in here simply because of the religious themes that come with it, but nobody seemed to mind. **

**Deadpoolhulk: Yay, friendship! Yes, there is a lot of death in this story, isn't there? But, it's kind of hard to stay away from it, especially when Bakura comes into the picture. He's actually fun to write, because he really is the devil.**

**Yami-Marik-4-Ever: Glad you liked that chapter!**

**Aqua Girl 007: I was surprised that nobody flamed me for the religious themes. I wasn't worried about the people who've been reviewing since chapter 1, but rather someone who is reading this but not reviewing. I was afraid a person like that would review and would go on calling me an idiot because I'm a Christian. But luckily that didn't happen. In fact, everyone seemed very supportive of it. **


	16. The Greater of Two Evils

"Alrighty, men!" Jack shouted, hanging from the edge of the crow's nest, placing his feet down on the mast. "Let's set sail to meet the ever lovely Tia Dalma!"

Yami and Will were standing on the deck, staring up at Jack with concern evident in both of the men's eyes. Yami looked over at Will, who appeared embarrassed as well as scared. He looked down at his feet, causing Yami to wonder what exactly the relationship was like between the two. It wasn't obvious if they were friends or not, because it appeared that a good amount of the time Will was two seconds away from strangling Jack. Either Will had an extreme sense of self control, or he really cared for Jack.

Speaking of Jack…Yami looked back up at his demented captain who was starting to blow on the masts, trying to get them started in making the boat sail. Yami sighed and rubbed his face with his hand.

'We're never going to get to Yugi at this rate.' He thought groggily. He glanced over at Will again and spoke aloud. "Is he always like this?"

"Believe it or not, this is one of his good days." Will muttered, walking over to the crow's nest. He was directly under the basket in the sky and craned his neck to converse with his captain.

"Jack!" He yelled, exasperated. "Get down here!"

"Not until we get this ship going, me boy!" Jack replied with a hearty, almost drunken, laugh.

"We're never going to get it moving like that!" Will pointed out, growing impatient with Jack's immaturity. "Just let nature take its course; it will get the Pearl moving when it's ready. You're not going to get us to Haiti like that."

"Have faith in me, William! My breath is as powerful as the wind of a hurricane!"

Will groaned. Even Jack wasn't normally this naïve and stupid. "Are you drunk?" He accused. Jack wasn't wobbling. In fact, he appeared very stable, but the way he was speaking seemed off.

"Heaven's no, boy!" Jack answered as he slowly slid the down the banister, dropping to his feet with a soft thud. "I haven't had a drop of rum in weeks."

"Then what are you on? Even an insane man would know you can't sail on a ship on one man's breath?"

"What about the breath of three men?"

Will's face reddened in angry. "No, Jack. We need the wind. Now, what are you on?"

"Nothing other than adrenaline is pumping through my veins, Will."

"Why exactly are you so excited?" Will asked, not quite understanding what Jack's excitement was aimed at. Elizabeth had been kidnapped. She was aboard Davy Jones' ship, being forced to do God knows what. Just the thought of Elizabeth potentially being forced to pleasure Jones was enough to make Will go into a homicidal rage. He could only hope that these were just thoughts and nothing more, that Jones wouldn't even dream of touching his fiancée. If Will ever found out otherwise, there would be hell to pay.

"What?" Jack said, shrugging. "I can't be excited to see an old friend of mine?"

"It would make sense for you to hold off your excitement until we're closer to our destination. In case you haven't noticed, we are still in the Paris port." To exaggerate his point, Will outstretched a hand directed towards the busy port that was bustling with the people of Paris and the traders that came from all over the World.

"I'm sorry William." Jack hastily apologized. "But, I like to look ahead; focus on the future."

"The future doesn't matter." Will growled. "What matters is here and now; nothing else."

"Aye," Jack exclaimed, "but do we not often spend the here and now planning for our future? Because the future will eventually become the here and now."

"And when that is the present, it will matter. But as of right now, it doesn't matter."

Yami growled and rubbed his temples. The two men continued to blabber on about the present and the future and if they were really the same thing or not, or if any of it mattered at all to begin with, -did time even exist, or was it all just an illusion created by man?-, It was all too much for Yami to handle and he found himself becoming more irritated by the minute.

"Shut up!" He screamed, unable to take anymore.

Will and Jack stopped their bickering and looked over at Yami who was fuming. "Can we go five minutes without you two bickering over the most idiotic things?" He continued, scrunching his forehead and balling his fists. "We have more important things to do than argue about the space-time continuum, like, oh I don't know…save our friends? The very friends who could be suffering, who could be in pain, who could be _dead _because you two can't act like adults!" Yami's chest heaved and his face twisted and turned red in anger. "We need to get moving as fast as possible. Jack only stole enough rations to last us six weeks at most, so we need to find this Tia person within the next forty-two days! If you two will just agree to disagree we can get moving, right?"

Silence was the only sound for a moment after Yami finished pouring his heart out, finished venting. He had wanted to scream at the two men weeks ago, but couldn't bring himself to do it. He had bottled up all his rage and impatience, and the two men bickering once more shook him up, causing him to explode on them. Perhaps it was for the best though, that Yami chose now to release his feelings. All the extra anger had caught the attention of Jack and William, making them more willing to listen. Will and Jack exchanged a small, apologetic glance to one another, but they remained quiet, neither one wanted to be the one to break the awkward silence.

Yami relaxed a little when the bickering stopped, and he rubbed his sore temples, feeling the throbbing in his head with his fingers. His agitation was wearing down, and so was his desire to kill both of the men before him and attempt to go after Yugi by himself. But, Yami was smart enough to realize that he wasn't experienced enough in sailing; he would need the wisdom (or lack of) from the captain and the first mate.

"So," Yami spoke quietly, trying to fight off the headache that was starting to overcome him, "are we going to leave the port now?"

Jack looked down and rubbed the back of his neck. He turned to Will. "Hoist the Jolly Roger." He said in a moderate volume, but without emotion.

"Aye-aye, captain." Will said with even less emotion, and ran off to search for the black mast with the picture of skull and crossbones. Once Will was out of earshot, Jack looked over at Yami.

"Even if we do find Tia," he started, "there's a large chance we won't find Jones. We could sail over to Haiti, and Jones could've sailed in the opposite direction, on the other side of the world. I hope you realize that this is nothing more than a wild goose chase."

Yami couldn't help it; he let out a pained laugh. "I don't believe it." He muttered. He raised his voice and said louder, "After everything I told you about Yugi and myself, you still don't understand how much I care about him and his safety. I would let myself die if it meant he would be safe. I pledge my protection to him when he released me from my prison; my loyalty, my friendship. We've had a few rough bumps within the past year, but I still love him like a brother. And I owe it to him to at least try and rescue him." Yami glared down at Jack and curled his lip into a sneer. "With or without your help."

Jack held up his hands defensively and took a few steps back, afraid that Yami might hurt him. "Now just wait a minute, lad."

"Don't you 'lad' me! Don't you realize that Yugi's the only family I have left now? If he's dead I might as well die as well, and I'd really like to confirm his mortality before I off myself!"

"I understand-"

"No you don't! _Nobody _understands! _Nobody _knows the hell Yugi and I've been put through. _Nobody _knows what it's like to lose every person you've _ever_ cared about at once! And nobody knows what it's like to watch as the last damn thing you ever held dear to your heart," he paused for a moment, shutting his eyes and letting tears roll down his cheeks, "Is taken away by some madman to God knows where, being forced to do God knows what." Yami whipped around and ran down to the sleeping quarters before Jack could reply. Jack stood speechless on the deck. A light breeze came through and gently nipped Jack's skin. He felt the floor beneath him move and nearly lost his balance. His experience as a sailor helped him remain stable. He looked over to the side and watched as the Port of Paris slowly disappeared from sight.

-0-0-0-0-0-

"So," Jones said quietly as he stood in the center of his Quarters. The stranger stood before him with his arms crossed around his chest, looking mildly uninterested in the current events. "What is it you want?"

Bakura chuckled darkly. "I told you already: I want the boy."

Jones snorted and reached for a pipe that was laying on the chest by the wall. He grabbed onto the lighter and ignited the flame. He placed the brown pipe between his lips and inhaled a large quantity of smoke. He used his large claws and removed it, staring his guest straight in the eye.

"Why? What use would he be to you?"

Bakura smirked. "Is that really any of your concern?"

"I'd like to know what's going to happen to my merchandise before I sell it." He placed the pipe back in his mouth.

"Why?" Bakura questioned. "As long as you receive your payment, what does it matter what happens to your merchandise?"

"I'm very sentimental."

"Not if you're going to sell it."

Jones smirked. "Very good, lad. But really, why do you want the boy? I deserve to know at least that much."

"He owes me a debt." Bakura shrugged, trying his best to maintain a straight face. It was important that Jones believed Bakura could care less whether or not he got the boy.

"I see." Jones murmured, taking out the pipe from between his lips, blowing a large smoke circle. "What do I get in return?"

Bakura scrunched his brow. "What do you mean?" He shouted, his body was becoming overcome with anger. He pointed to the table where the pile of coins lay. "I gave you the money!"

"Yes." Jones whispered, picking up a bunch of coins, allowing them to slip through the spaces in his claws. "It is a lovely pile, but of course I believe my best slave is worth more than fifty pieces of eight."

"Well, what else do you want?" Bakura screamed.

"Quiet down, boy!" Jones scolded. "You'll wake my slaves. I don't know about you, but I prefer them well-rested; that way they can work their best."

"What. Do. You. Want?" Bakura hissed through his teeth.

Jones flipped one of the coins. "What else do you have?"

"I don't have anything else!"

"Really?" Jones questioned, his eyes falling to the broken knapsack lying on the floor. The flap was partway open and the captain's eye caught a glint of gold. Greed began to run through his veins and he could barely contain his glee; he wanted to appear calm and collected in front of this stranger. "What do you have in that pretty little bag of yours?" Jones pointed his pink, wrinkled claw towards the bag.

Bakura's eyes shot over to the bag than quickly back to Jones in less than two seconds. He glared and flared his nostrils. "Nothing that's up for bargaining."

"Then you must not want the boy that badly. Still, I feel that you at least owe me the money for wasting my valuable time."

"You expect me to pay you with me gaining nothing in return? That's…that's ludicrous!"

"I see you are not that experienced in the arts of business."

"Ripping people off is an art?"

Jones shrugged. "Why shouldn't it be? You yourself think murdering innocent civilians is an art form. You find pleasure in watching people suffer. You don't just put then through physical torment, oh no, that's only a minor thing. You go a step above and torment them emotionally."

"How do you-"

"You find the very thing that brings meaning into their life and steal it away from them. Then, you go even farther to put them through the most agonizing physically torture you can think of, all the while reminding them that the one thing precious to them is gone. Lost, forever. They're so broken that they no longer cry, and they feel that they should be kept alive so they can further suffer for the mistake they feel they've made by not doing anything. Then, and only then, do you kill them."

Bakura growled. "How do you know all of that?"

Jones chuckled deeply. He dove down under the table and pulled out a two large, golden objects. One was small and round; the other long and heavy. Bakura gasped as he saw Jones handle the Millennium Rod and Eye. Bakura slowly stepped back, keeping his eyes glued to the weapon that was now in the captain's hands.

"How did you get those?" Bakura spat, his words came out rushed, almost as though he had combined all the syllables into one.

"I am a thief too, you know. I know how to steal things right under the owner's nose. It's a neat little toy," Jones glanced down at the Eye, and stroking Rod and stroked it admiringly. "You can scan a person's mind with it. But what does this one do?"

"Like I'd ever tell you!" Bakura hissed, storming over to Jones. "Give it back! A Millennium Item shouldn't even work for someone like you!"

Jones pushed Bakura down on the floor and got level with him. "Someone like me, eh? Do tell."

Bakura wiped the dribble of blood off his lip. "Like hell." He spat, blood had mixed into his salvia and Jones' face was now covered in the concoction. Unfazed, Jones moved in closer to Bakura.

"If you won't tell me," Jones threatened in a deep, low voice, "then I guess I'll just have to find out myself." He rose the Eye so it was at the same height of Bakura's forehead. Bakura tried to smack it out of Jones' hand, but the creature caught it midair. The tension had rose to a point in the room that neither man spoke, and not even the sound of their breaths could be heard.

_Bump-bump. Bump-bump. Bump-bump._

Bakura still could not figure out where what was causing that noise, and it was starting to get annoying. He felt Jones' grip on his wrist tighten, and Bakura hissed in pain. He ripped his hand out of Jones' claw, but his skin was pulled against the hard nooks, pulling most of it off. Bakura screamed in pain, and quickly held his wounded hand to his chest. He glanced down at it, but all he saw was a pool of blood covering the extremity.

Bakura glared up at Davy Jones and snarled. "You bastard."

Jones smiled sadistically. "I did nothing. Now," he placed the Eye right at the tip of Bakura's nose, "are you going to tell me how this other Item works?"

Bakura laughed darkly. "It doesn't make a difference. An Item only works for its Bearer, and to become a Bearer you have to defeat the current one in a duel. I doubt the Eye worked for you earlier; There's no way you could have found about me just by looking at me. You must have heard about me from that little Yugi brat!"

"On the contrary, I have heard nothing about you. Had I not pulled you up from the sea, I would not even know of your pathetic existence. But the 'Eye', you called it? It did work for me."

"Bullshit."

"Maybe you're not as a strong a Bearer as you thought. I'll prove to you that I am worthy of possessing one of these Items."

Jones focused all his energy onto the small, golden object and the center of it began to glow brightly. He smirked when he saw the frightened look in Bakura's eye. Bakura was frozen stiff has the Eye began to scan his mind, and every image it picked up was projected into the mind of Jones.

The captain found himself being plunged into a the memories of the man before him. It felt like when you first jumped into a large body of water, the sinking feeling gave you an added adrenaline rush. Then, instead of floating back up, you swam forward and got caught in a current. Jones felt himself being pulled into the mind of Bakura at unimaginable speeds. He caught glimpses of the man as Jones hopped through each memory, the current not stopping. He saw Bakura conversing with someone who looked like his youngest slave, only older. Then he saw the same two men on a tower, a red dragon engulfing it. These memories continued to be odd, and the further Jones dove in, the stranger they got.

Finally, Jones felt himself being released of the current. He was dropped harshly onto sand. Jones stood up and spat out the sand that had crept into his mouth. He saw a younger version of Bakura; one that couldn't have been any older than eleven. A scene began to play before him, like a dream.

-0-0-0-0-

_The young Bakura was running around the sand, laughing and with a smile on his face. He appeared to be excited about something. Jones saw a small object bouncing up and down in the pocket of the boy's pants. He was barefoot,, kicking up sand and causing dust to spread behind him. Soon, the image of a village came up over the horizon. Five rows of five houses were lined up evenly, each house containing exactly five people. One hundred people in total lived in the village of Kul-Elna. _

_Bakura ran up to the first house on the far right. A large smile grew on his face and he jumped up and down in excitement. "Daddy!" He cried, running to the small hut. The house was very quaint. It had only one room, but it was large. One blanket was rolled up against the very far wall of the house, and the other four were laid out near the center. Four people sat on those blankets, sitting around a black pot. One older man and woman, and a younger man and woman. Seeing his family all together made the young Bakura giddy with excitement. "Daddy!" He repeated, running up to his father. The younger man turned his head and smiled at the sight of his son. He stood up and embraced his boy._

_"Bakura!" He cried. "Where have you been? We were just about to have dinner."_

_"Daddy, look what I found!" Bakura dug into his pocket and pulled out a yellow lump so big it took two hands for him to hold it. The eyes of Daddy grew wide as he took hold of the sum of gold. He held it up to the light that shone in through the holes in the tent. It glistened in the evening sun._

_"Where did you get this?" Daddy whispered, his voice was cracked with surprise._

_"I found it at the Nile! Is it good, Daddy? Will it help us?"_

_"Oh, yes, my boy." Daddy said softly, his voice became laced with greed. "Why, if we had just a few more this size, we would be richer than the Pharaoh himself!"_

_"Really, Daddy?"_

_Daddy nodded. He turned to look at his wife and parents, all three of them nodded as well, Cheshire Cat smiles adorned their faces. Bakura's father turned back to his son and got down on his knees, so his eyes were level with Bakura's._

_"Bakura, I want you to listen to me very carefully. You need to go back to the Nile and bring back as much gold as you can. Can you do that for me?"_

_Bakura nodded. "But can't you come with me?"_

_Daddy shook his head. "No. It'll look to suspicious if I go with you. I need to go by yourself. Fill your pockets until they are fat and you can barely walk. I want you to be back before sunset, okay?"_

_"But, that's only an hour away."_

_"Then you better run, 'Kura. Come on, make me proud."_

_Bakura looked at the gold in his father's hands, and how happy he, his mother, and his grandparents looked. Bakura swallowed. "Okay, Daddy. I will make you proud of me."_

_Daddy patted Bakura's shoulders. "That's my boy! Go now, before it gets dark."_

_Bakura nodded his head and smiled. He left the lump of gold in the hands of his father, where he thought it would be safest. He turned around and ran out of his tent, back in the direction he had just come from. His legs felt like jelly, and his chest hurt from running so much, but he didn't mind that much. He wanted to please his father, he wanted to help the financial situation of his family. If finding enough gold to make even the Pharaoh appear poor meant he had to run back and forth between his hut and the Nile river, he would do it gladly. Before he knew it, Bakura was back at the riverbank. Excited, he got down on his knees and plunged his hands into the cool water. He didn't find any gold, but he used his wet hands to wipe off the dust and grim that had formed on his face._

_Bakura rarely got the chance to take a bath, so he quickly stripped down and jumped into the water. While he swam he searched for more gold, going to the spot where he found the first piece. Bakura drew in a deep breath and went beneath the surface. The water was actually pretty clean; Bakura could see everything underneath there. He swam a little further and spotted a gleam of yellow. He swam towards it and swam near the bottom of the river. He plucked the gold straight from out of the river. His eyes widened as he examined his find; it was larger and heavier than the first piece._

_'This piece alone must be worth as much as the crown of the Pharaoh!' Bakura thought. He smiled and floated up to the top and breathed in a fresh breath. He swam to the edge and placed the piece of gold down on top of his clothes. It had to have weighed at least twelve pounds; Bakura wondered how on Earth he managed to bring it up. It should've sunk him. Forgetting all about it, Bakura hopped out, figuring that the piece he just found would be more than enough to please his father. He pulled himself out of the Nile and wrung the water out of his white hair. He put his clothes back on and stuffed the gold in his pocket. He ran home so excited to share his new find with his family. _

_He ran home as fast as his feet could possible take him, then once his village was in sight, he stopped dead in his tracks. The first thing he saw was fire, and an instant later he smelt it. The odor of burning flesh struck his nostrils, making the boy gag. _

_"What's going on?" He said aloud, panic was evident in his voice. He ran to Kul-Elna, searching for his father, mother, or grandparents. "Daddy?" He cried, but received no answer. He came to his hut which was engulfed in flames. Bakura felt tears prick his eyes as he watched the only home he had ever known burn down. His ears flinched when he heard the sound of approaching hoof steps. Bakura dove behind his hut, and quickly peeked out to see what was happening. _

_He saw people he recognized as guards of the Pharaoh. They were standing around a large, black cauldron. The largest one approached it and dumped in a bucket full of blue orbs. They screamed in agony as they hit the boiling water._

_"Lord Ra," he cried, arms stretched out, head towards the sky. "Please accept our offering. Ninety-nine souls of Kul-Elna. Ninety-nine souls of the most despicable, most horrific beings ever to have walked this Earth! Please use the power of their souls to help us forge the Items necessary to maintain order in the capital of Cairo." _

_Bakura watched as the water bubbled and turned yellow. Something floated up and the guard took it tenderly. It was a small object; it barely fit in the palm of the man._

_"The Millennium Eye!" He proclaimed. "To read the mind of your foe!" His followers cheered and whistled. He stuck his hand in again and pulled out another object, giving the Eye to a nearby guard. This one was like a scale. "The Millennium Scale! To measure the amount of goodness in the heart of your foe." Another item was pulled from the cauldron. "The Millennium Key. To see what is inside the soul of your foe." He plucked two more items from the black cauldron. "The Millennium Necklace and Rod! To see the past, present, and future, and to control the mind of anyone of your choosing." He plucked the last two Items from the cauldron. "The Millennium Puzzle and Ring! To trap the soul of your enemy. And the ring will be able to locate any of the other items!"_

_His fellow guards cheered and shouted with glee._

_"Thank you, Amun Ra!" The largest one shouted, pumping his fist in the air._

_Bakura trembled behind his tent. He waited until the guards left, happy with their haul. Bakura's tent has stopped burning. He willed up all the bravery he could muster and he went around to the entrance. The curtain that had once acted like a door was burned off. Bakura gulped and stepped into his home. He saw the bodies of his family, burned beyond recognition. The skin was blackened and the eyes were not in their sockets. Bakura shook his head in denial. _

_"No." He whispered, his voice cracked in desperation. "No." He walked over to one of the bodies. It's hand was wrapped around something. Bakura got on his knees and gingerly pried open his fingers. It was the gold he had just given his father not even an hour ago._

_"Daddy…" Bakura cried, brushing his finger down the cheek of his father. Bakura grabbed the piece of gold in his pocket and pulled it out. He stared at it for a moment; he could see his reflection in it. Bakura hated what he saw. Just hours ago there were one hundred people in this village. Ninety-nine were just killed; Bakura was the one and only survivor. He hated himself. _

_"I should have been here, Daddy." Bakura cried, shaking his head. He glanced back down at the gold. "I got the gold, Daddy." He put the treasure up to the face of his deceased father. "We're going to be richer than the Pharaoh, Daddy. Right?"_

_Then it struck him._

_"The Pharaoh did this to you. He killed you, and Mommy, Grandma, and Grampa." An anger Bakura had never felt before flushed into his veins. It felt fire hot, and Bakura's face flushed. His grip tightened onto the gold so hard it began to crack. "I promise I'll avenge you, Daddy. I'll kill him! I hate the Pharaoh! I hate everyone who has anything to do with him. If the Pharaoh dies before I get my revenge, then I swear to Ra I will go after his son. And if his son dies, I'll go after next in line. And I will continue to do that until I kill that person and I avenge you." _

_He took the gold and threw it against the wall of his tent. It fell and skidded in the sand. Tears blinding him, Bakura stood up and ran out of his tent. He ran away from his home village, trying his best not to look at the dead bodies of his friends and neighbor. As of now, a hole had been punctured in Bakura's heart and he had filled it with anger and hate. Over the next thousands of years, that sore would callous and become even harder to heal. But he didn't care. He had to find Yami, son of the Pharaoh that ordered the raid on his village. _

_He would guarantee the death of Yami would be ten times more painful than the death of his parents._

_Ninety-nine people died that day. Only one survived. Bakura would never forget that. _

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Jones felt himself being sucked back into the current, but this one flowed the opposite way. It shot him back into the realm of the present. He was back in his Quarters, staring at Bakura. The man must have been forced back into the memory world as well because his eyes were clenched shut, angry tears ran down his face. He was shaking his head and his mouth was forming the words _I promise Father, I will avenge you._

Jones chuckled deeply, amused by the weakness of his latest captive. "How pathetic." He said. Bakura's eyes shot open, the veins in them were expanding. "You relied so much on your family," Jones continued, "that you feel you need to avenge them for them to forgive you."

"I should've been there." Bakura muttered, shaking. "I could've protected them. I could've killed those guards."

Jones snorted. "I highly doubt a child could overtake a group of strong, full grown men."

"You underestimate the strength of your opponent."

"As do you." Jones smiled, revealing his row of sharp teeth. He glanced down at the Rod in his hands. "So," he looked back at Bakura, "this can control minds?"

Bakura gulped and scooted back. The Eye of Horus on the Rod began to glow brightly, engulfing Bakura's vision.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Are you sure you're alright?" Elizabeth asked, leaning against the wall. Yugi was in front of her. His knees were drawn to his chest. He nodded and smiled.

"I'm sure." He whispered.

"What do you think they are talking about? Bakura and Jones?"

"They're probably debating on how to murder me."

"Don't joke about that." Elizabeth snapped. "They are not going to kill you. I can assure that."

Yugi smiled. "I appreciate that, Elizabeth, but you have no idea how strong Bakura can be. He can kill you just by looking at you."

"How have you survived battling him all these years then?"

Yugi looked away, ashamed. "I never battled him; Yami's always done that. I've only been more of nuisance to him than a help."

"Yugi," Elizabeth whispered sadly, "I'm sure Yami only thought of you as a brother and a friend. I know you were never a nuisance to him."

Yugi snorted. "You have no idea what kind of trouble I've gotten myself into."

Elizabeth smiled and wrapped her arms around her friend. They hugged for a moment, but instantly released when they heard a loud splash.

They both looked around, but only saw Beckett sleeping in the back corner.

"What was that?" Elizabeth asked.

Yugi stood up and looked around. "I'm not sure."

Then there was the sound of footsteps descending the stairs. Jones came into view a moment later, grinning deviously and holding the Rod over his shoulder.

"W-where's Bakura?" Yugi asked, not liking the sight he was seeing.

Jones continued to grin and pulled the Rod off his shoulder. He stroked like one would a cat. "Oh, he fell overboard."

Yugi's breath stopped when he saw the Rod glow dimly. "He fell…or he was pushed?"

"Does it really make a difference?"

Yugi shook his head. He stepped back and Elizabeth grabbed onto his arm to help support him. Yugi couldn't believe it; The sole survivor of Kul-Elna…was dead.

**Reviews:**

**Kairi: *GASP* Kairi, you let your mind speed? How could you? That's a worse offense than saying you hate Yugi abuse!**

**Yugi: Yeah! Wait, what?**

**Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine now. It was weird after they finished removing my teeth. My mouth was so numb, I couldn't keep my tongue in it. Well, everyone says braces are worth it, so I can only hope they're right.**

**Elemental Ink: Don't worry about it, I understand. I'll actually be going on vacation in a few weeks and will be in that same position. I won't be able to update then, however. How was the Yugioh movie? It never came out in the theatres where I live, so I'm just waiting until someone posts it on You Tube. And I will always keep writing as long as I have reviewers like you!**

**Tsukiko Kaiba: That's okay. I actually like it when someone starts to review halfway through my stories. It spices things up a little bit. Yeah, there is a lot of death in this fic. I didn't realize this until a few chapters ago. I'm glad you're fine with the religion in this. Everyone was actually very supportive of it. I'm also glad you're liking this story. That's why I write! Please continue to read and review.**

**ATEMUES: Sorry! We don't see Yami for a few chapters. But, we will get to see the protective side within those next chapters.**

**Aqua Girl 007: Today, I only have one thing to say to you: Don't kill me!**

**Deadpoolhulk: If someone made fun of me for my beliefs, I would have Sage kick their teeth in!**

**Sage: *sharpening Millennium Pocket Knife* That wouldn't be very Christian of you. **

**Maybe not, but where in the Bible does it say I'm not allowed to defend myself?**

**Sage: Touche. **

**Anyways, yes. Very depressing. Perhaps I should go easier on Yugi.**

**Yugi: Yes, yes, thank you, yes!**

…**.But that wouldn't be any fun. So, I'm going to continue tormenting the poor boy.**

**Yugi: No! No! Why God? Why do you mock me?**


	17. Sickness

**The last ten chapters feel so…filler-y. I mean, the Black Pearl just left port last chapter, right?**

**Sage: Stop your whining and get to the story.**

**Maybe it's because I've been focusing more on Yugi then on Yami. **

**Sage: Your mouth is moving but all I hear is 'blah, blah, blah.'**

**You know, it wouldn't kill you to be supportive every now and then! **

**Sage: Perhaps not, but that's not a risk I'm willing to take. **

-3 Weeks Later-

It was dark and raining; the moon was shining brightly, illuminating the deck. The night was silent at the beginning, but soon it was filled with screams of pain and torment. Yugi was on his hands and knees, shirtless, blood flowing from his back. Jones was standing behind Yugi; a wicked grin was plastered on his face. In one hand he held the Millennium Rod and the other he held a long horse whip with a pointed tip. The sharp end was coated in blood.

"Good, boy!" Jones squealed. "But this time, how about you keep quiet? We wouldn't want your screaming to wake your friends, would we?" He pulled the whip back behind his shoulder and thrust it forward. It made an awful snapping sound as it struck Yugi's skin. It felt like someone was cutting him open and the rain fell into his open wounds, stinging them. Yugi would've screamed in agony, but his mind was under the control of Jones. Ever since Jones killed Bakura and had gotten a hold of the Rod, Yugi's life had been hell. He had seemed to have forgotten about Elizabeth and Beckett, and for that Yugi was grateful. At least he was the only who had to suffer. The boat captain has made a hobby of torturing Yugi.

At first it wasn't that bad. Jones would have Yugi drop to his face, or he would have the boy sit down until his entire body became numb. Tonight, however, was the worst night ever. Jones had been whipping for Yugi for almost half an hour now and he showed no signs of tiring. He snickered as Yugi made no sound from the recent lashing.

"Now, boy," he snarled in a gratifying way, "tell me what I want to hear."

Yugi shook his head, trying to steal back control of his body. Joey had done it, so it was possible. Someone just had to have enough willpower and strength. But Yugi wasn't strong enough. He felt his mouth open against his will and his tongue started forming words. "I am scum." He stated loudly, clamping his eyes shut. "I do not deserve to walk this Earth. But am I allowed to do so by my Master, who is merciful and compassionate. Because he allows me to live, I must repay him by living under him as a slave; someone who is the lowest form of life. It is exactly what I deserve to be." Tears were cascading down Yugi's face. He sniffed and wanted to collapse onto his stomach. He was incredibly sore; his arms felt like jelly from supporting his weight for so long, and the blood running down his back made him feel dirty. He wanted to curl up and maybe die.

"Are you getting tired, boy?" Jones asked as though he were reading Yugi's mind. Then Yugi remembered he was. Jones had the Millennium Eye too.

"Y-y-yes, Master." Yugi stuttered, the icy rain water was running into his veins and freezing him from the inside out. "Please, Master." Yugi begged. "Please, can't I sleep?"

Jones scoffed. "Why would you want to do that? The fun's just begun!" He flogged Yugi once more and the victim released a cry that sounded like a wounded animal. He felt the control of the Rod release. Yugi fell to his gut in an instant. He cried and whimpered, allowing the tears to fall down his face. Blood ran off his back and onto the deck where it was washed away by the rain. He coughed severely. The inside of his chest felt cold and wet. The sound of Jones' boats squeaking across the wood as he came closer to Yugi drowned out the noise of the thunder and the rain. It was like an omen.

Yugi tried to scoot away from Jones' foot, but he was in too much pain to do it.

"Get down in the basement with the other worthless slaves."

Yugi nodded, not believing what he heard, but he knew better than to question it. Despite the burning pain on his backside, Yugi managed to get to his feet. He limped to the small hole in the wall that lead to the under part of the Flying Dutchman. He got halfway down when his knees buckled and he fell down the bottom of the stairs.

"Yugi!" He heard Elizabeth scream. He felt someone take his head and placed it in their lap. His vision was blurry. All he could make out was the colors of Elizabeth's face. Her hand went underneath him and she gasped when she felt the warm, tacky blood spilling from Yugi. She put him down on his side and examined his wounds. She cried when she saw the lashings Yugi had been subjected too. She would've done something, but Jones had used his new powers to force Elizabeth and Beckett to stay put in the basement. She had heard his cries, but this was beyond what she had imagined.

"Beckett," She called out, turning her head to look behind her, "give me your coat."

The older man snorted and crossed his arms. "Why?"

"He's bleeding to death! For God's sake, just give me your coat!"

Beckett was taken aback by the tone she used. She wasn't asking for the coat; she was _demanding _it. Startled, he quickly shed his coat and threw it over to Elizabeth who caught it without looking. She picked the semi-conscious boy up and carried him to the back side of the boat. She placed Beckett's coat down on the floor, flat, and laid Yugi on top of it. He turned his head and began a violent coughing spree.

"Yugi," Elizabeth cooed, "are you alright?"

The boy was unresponsive. Elizabeth saw him begin to shiver. She frowned and placed a hand to her forehead. She froze. He was burning up. She could feel the head radiating from his body with her hand inches away from his face.

"Beckett," Elizabeth whispered, frightened, "he's sick. "

She heard the sound of footsteps and saw Beckett sit down next to her. He laid his ear on top of Yugi's chest. He stayed there for less than ten seconds, but when he pulled away his face was grim, like a doctor preparing to alert a family of the worst possible news.

"What is it?" Elizabeth whispered.

Beckett didn't even bother to look at her. "It's pneumonia." He said.

"How can you tell?"

"You can hear the fluid moving around in his lungs. Beings exposed to the ice cold rain like he was, I'm not surprised."

Elizabeth shook her head. "What do we do?"

"There's nothing we can do. We just have to wait and hope his body can take care of himself."

Elizabeth felt useless as she watched Yugi shiver, despite his raging fever. She couldn't tell if he was awake or not, and wondered if he was in any pain. Yugi had just dodged one bullet with the death of Bakura, but the aftermath seemed even worse now that Jones had those Millennium Items. If he could read their minds and control their bodies, defeating him was impossible. She scooted closer to Yugi as Beckett scooted away. She brushed a lock of hair out of his face.

"Yugi," she whispered, "please be okay."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Yugi was laying on a floor, his head pounding. The ground beneath him felt cold and hard. It also felt solid, nothing at all like the deck on the Flying Dutchman. Yugi pushed himself up into a sitting position. He rubbed his face for a moment before he looked around. He was in a white room. Nothing was in it except himself. The walls were white, the floor was white, even the ceiling was just a plain, boring white. Yugi didn't recognize the room. He stood up and began walking around the room.

"Hello?" He called out. "Is anyone in here?"

"Hello, Chosen One." A voice called from behind Yugi.

Yugi hadn't been expecting an answer, so when he received one he spun around in terror. But all that fear washed away once he saw who it was that was with him. Instead of fear, though, he felt confusion.

"Shadi?" Yugi asked, staring at the Egyptian man. He was wearing his normal garments, and the Millennium Key hung proudly around his neck. Yugi walked up to him. "What are you doing here?" He looked around the room once more. "And where exactly is here?"

"This," Shadi began in his monotonous voice, "is your soul room."

"My soul room? But this doesn't look anything like my soul room. It's empty and plain. My soul room is filled with toys, and the walls are painted yellow."

"This is what happens to a soul room when the owner is dying."

The last word rang through Yugi's ears. "What? Dying?"

"You are sick. The stress and injuries of your current situation are too much for your mind to handle. Your mind is, for lack of a better word, turning off."

"I'm going to die?"

"Only if you allow yourself too."

Yugi raised an eyebrow and stepped back. Shadi always spoke in riddles, Yugi had come to accept that. But he had never been this vague.

"What do you mean?" Yugi whispered.

"You can choose whether or not you die. You can allow yourself to be succumbed by Death, or you can fight it. It's really up to you."

Yugi lowered his head. "The last time we spoke…You said I was about to go on my greatest adventure ever, but you said I would have to go on it without Yami. Is this what you meant? It doesn't seem like much of an adventure. More like a nightmare, actually."

"It is whatever you wish to make of it, Chosen One. But, you are without the Pharaoh, away from home, journeying with newfound friends." Then, Shadi did something completely out of character. He smiled. He smiled a genuine, soft, sincere, smile. It looked foreign on his face. It looked more out of place than a smile on Kaiba's face. "That sounds like an adventure to me."

"But," Yugi began, He turned to look behind him for a second and when he looked in front of him again, Shadi was gone. "Shadi?" He called out. He walked around the room. There was nowhere for the Egyptian man to hide. He had just vanished. Yugi huffed and walked over to a wall. He placed a hand against it and moved it around.

"How am I supposed to get out of here," He said, "when there's no door?" Out of nowhere, he felt a stinging sensation ram through his chest. It startled him so much he lost his balance and fell down. Yugi found himself going into a violent coughing attack, hacking up fluid and blood. Once his eyes got look at the crimson liquid, his stomach clenched tight. He tried to control his coughing, but he couldn't. Soon, that was the only sound that filled the corners of the small room.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The boy's back was arching and his extremities were failing wildly. His chest rose and fell at extreme speeds and his coughed. He turned onto his side and curled up into the fetal position. Ice cold sweat ran down his forehead and dampened his hair. Elizabeth was forced just to watch helplessly; there was nothing she could do to ease his pain. She wasn't even sure if he was awake or not. She assumed not, because he was unresponsive to her words and his eyes were shut tightly, as though he were in pain, but his lips were forming words, even though no sound came out.

Blood cascaded down his lips and Elizabeth used her thumb to wipe it off. His coughing fit had ended for the moment, and no sound filled the room. She heard his stomach rumble and winched when she realized, for the first time in the past three weeks, how skinny he had become. He had been eating these past few weeks despite Jones' abuse, so there was no reason for him to be losing weight. Unless he wasn't eating as much as she thought. Elizabeth frowned, wondering how long it had been since had had eaten. Her eyes gazed over to the apple barrel in the corner. She stood up and walked over towards it hastily. She grabbed one of the apples from inside, noting how far down she had to reach. Disregarding the limited supply of fruit for the moment, she brought it back to Yugi. Taking it in her hand, she slammed it hard against the ground, making a thick sauce out of it.

She scooped some up with her fingers, and tried to spoon it into Yugi's mouth. The boy turned away from her and moaned.

"Yugi," She coaxed, "you need to eat something."

"Why waste food on him?" Beckett's voice chimed in from the corner. He came out of the darkness looking agiated.

"He's sick, Beckett." Elizabeth said worriedly, trying to poke her finger past Yugi's lips.

"Exactly. He'll be lucky if he survives the night. There's no point in dragging out his pain."

Shocked by the proposistion, Elizabeth spun her head around and faced Beckett. "You want to kill him?"

Beckett shrugged. "We'll not only be doing him a favor; it'll be one less mouth to feed which means more food for us. Maybe then we'll have a chance at making it through this ordeal."

"Ordeal?" Elizabeth shouted, standing to her feet. "You think this is just some 'ordeal', that will just go away one day? This isn't one of your business deals that you can solve by bargaining! We are not going to get out of this that easily!"

"We can at least make this easier on ourselves!"

"Killing Yugi won't make anything easier on us! If Jones were to find out, he'd focus on us with that little rod of his! You've seen how brutal he's been to Yugi! What makes you think he'd be merciful towards us?"

Beckett was silent for a moment as he thought about his response. While she waited, Elizabeth pushed her finger past Yugi's lips and rubbed the applesauce around his gums. Under normal circumstances she would've found the situation awkward, but desperate times call for desperate measures and Elizabeth wasn't going to let Yugi die without a fight.

She watched as Yugi's throat moved, signaling that he was swallowing. She relaxed a little bit and spooned more food into his mouth.

"It doesn't matter if Jones is merciful to us or not." Beckett finally said. "The important thing is, we'll have a higher chance of survival ourselves because there will be extra food."

"Is that all you care about?" Elizabeth snapped, not bothering to turn around and look at Beckett. "The food? What about Yugi's life?"

"What about _our _lives?" Beckett screamed, throwing his hands up in the air, eyes sequencing in anger. "What about the sacrifice of the few to save the many? Why should we risk our lives for him?"

"There's something about him." Elizabeth stated, looking down on Yugi with confused eyes. "It's not just a need to protect him. He has an…aura of some kind. His soul is strong." She turned to face Cutler, her voice was barely a whisper, as she didn't want to wake Yugi. "I think he may save us."

Beckett snorted and rolled his eyes. "Oh yes, the teenager who is the weight and stature of a school boy will defeat Jones and save us all." He said sarcastically. Disgusted with the idea of his life being saved by Yugi, he spat on the ground. "That's what I think of his 'aura'." With his opinion lingering in the air, Beckett turned around and proceeded to his corner, where he sat down and curled up into his most preferable sleeping position. The sound of his snoring soon filled the room.

Elizabeth shook her head in disbelief. She brought her head down to Yugi's face and whispered into his ear softly and lovingly, "Don't worry, Yugi. I believe in you. You can save us, I know it." She planted a quick kiss on his forehead and spooned the rest of the mashed up apple into his mouth. Yugi still shivered despite his raging fever, and occasionally he would cough once or twice, but other than that he appeared fine and silent. Realizing there was nothing more she could do for the night, Elizabeth laid down beside next to him just in case he needed her attention during the night.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Yami couldn't sleep. He lay restlessly in his hammock with his hands on top of chest, his fingers tapping the center of his ribcage. He had the most mundane feeling that something was wrong. It something in the darkest, most quaint corner in his mind telling him something wasn't right. Other than the obvious, of course. Yami hadn't slept well since Yugi's kidnapping. He thought about his partner every second he was awake and even sometimes in his dreams. He, Jack, and Will had been sailing for a few weeks now and they were only about another week away from their destination, but the days had dragged on and on for the former Pharaoh.

A large snort was made from above him along with some smacking sounds. Yami softly groaned and rubbed his face. He had never met someone who made more noise in their sleep than Jack. Not even Joey would've compared to the boat captain. He also never saw a man who could drink more. Yami had to hand it to Jack though; the man could really hold his liquor. He probably could drink up to three bottles of hard rum before he started showing signs of being intoxicated. He offered Yami a sip once, but the alcohol tasted incredibly bitter and it burned the lining of his esophagus. He handed it back instantly, simply telling Jack he wasn't much of a drinker. He then excused himself and vomited over the edge of the boat.

As for he and Will; they had come to a mutual understanding. They both had lost the one most important to them to the same man, creature, and both had a bone to pick with him.

Fatigue attacked Yami, and he rolled onto his side. His head felt light and his eyelids were heavy. He was experiencing the kind of exhaustion where it was as though he were too tired to even sleep. Yami silently groaned into his hammock, tugging at his unkempt hair. The feeling at the back of his mind was still there, and it seemed almost familiar, like it had once existed before. He couldn't place it, but the nagging sensation was driving him nuts. The loss of Yugi was beginning to affect Yami more than emotionally. His constant worry was what was keeping him awake right now, even though it was more morning than it was night.

Yami exhaled desperately, and shut his eyes tight. He saw the colors and patterns behind his eyelids and focused only on them, finding himself impressed by the vibrant colors and masterful shapes. Before he knew it, he mind had been claimed by sleep.

Yami woke up in a room he had never seen before. It was white and small. Yami rubbed his head and stood to his feet.

'Where am I?' He thought groggily, massaging his face. 'I must be dreaming.' He concluded. He turned around and gasped. A small figure was before him on the ground, curled up in a ball. It didn't take him more than a second to know what-or who-the figure was.

"Yugi!" Yami exclaimed, diving to the ground. He turned Yugi onto his back and Yami sucked in air. Yugi's body was battered. He had bruises on his chest and large, open gashes on his back. His chin was stained red and the bones in his chest were easily visible. Seeing his partner in this condition brought tears to Yami's eyes.

"Yugi," He whispered, caressing the boy's face with the back of his hand. Yugi stirred and groaned. His eyes fluttered open and he stared at Yami through unfocused lenses.

"Yugi, what happened to you?" Yami asked sternly, wanting to know who had injured his aibou so he knew who would have to answer to him.

Yugi closed his eyes and turned his head. "Ya…mi?" He said slowly.

"Yes, Yugi. It's me." Yami whispered.

"What are you…doing here?"

"I don't know." Yami admitted. "I was trying to sleep on the Black Pearl and somehow I ended up here." An idea came to Yami right then. "Yugi, where on you? Where is the Flying Dutchman headed?"

"Not..sure. Jones doesn't…tell us anything. We only scrub the decks. He…wants to find Jack."

"Does he know where we are? Where we're headed?"

Yugi shook his head, finding it difficult to form words.

"What's wrong, Yugi? Are you injured?" Yami saw the wounds on the boy's body, but he had no way of knowing if they were real or not. He didn't even know where he was or if this was just a dream.

"No." Yugi whispered.

"Where are we?"

Yugi smiled and turned his head away from Yami. "Shadi says it's my soul room."

"Shadi? When have you spoken to him? And what do you mean soul room? This looks nothing like your soul room."

"Shadi came when I first entered."

"How is this your soul room?"

Yugi groaned loudly and began to shake his head.

Yami backed away, surpised by the movement. "Yugi, what's wrong?" He asked, alamared.

"It hurts." Yugi cried, tears rolling down his face.

"What hurts?"

Yugi began to go into trembles, his arms flailed wildy, his back arched and he went into one of coughing fits. Yami ran over to his ill partner and tried to restrain him and prevent him from harming himself. He pinned Yugi's arms above his head, noting the pained expression on Yugi's face. Yami wondered briefly if he was the one hurting Yugi, but dismissed it because he wasn't holding Yugi down that hard, and he was crying before Yami even touched him. He held Yugi until he began to calm down.

"Yugi, what's wrong?" Yami repeated, but he began to notice that Yugi was becoming…transparent. He was beginning to fade. "Yugi?"

The boy shook his head, his mouth was forming words but Yami couldn't make them out. The white walls around him were moving and expanding. They were growing darker. Yami felt himself being dragged away, and he fought to stay with Yugi. But whatever was pulling him was stronger and it succeed in taking Yami out of the room. He saw Yugi move farther and farther away from him.

"No!" He screamed, "Yugi!" But the force dragged him out of the room. Everything was black, and when Yami opened his eyes he was back in his hammock. Everything was silent, not even the floorboards creaked. Slowly, Yami got up and out of his hammock. He left the sleeping quarters and went up to the main deck. The sky was empty that night. There was no moon or stars to light up the sky.

Yami felt incredibly empty. He wasn't sure if his experience with Yugi was real or not, but he had the feeling it didn't matter. It was premonition. Yugi was sick and was possibly dying. There was nothing Yami could do to help him. In the past whenever Yugi had gotten sick Yami was always by his side, keeping him company. He could feel how much the boy had appreciated the support through the mind link they once had. But now he felt so useless. He walked over to edge and leaned on the railing. Even though it was dark he could see his reflection in the water. The person he saw was someone who let his best friend be taken away without doing anything. The person was a liar and a hyprocrite. Yami hated the person he saw. He wished that person would be forced to suffer.

'But I already am.' Yami thought bitterly. Another reflection appeared beside his own. Yami didn't acknowledge the man's presence. He didn't need too, though.

"What happened?" Will asked. "I heard you get up. You seemed pretty upset."

"I had a dream. At least, I think it was a dream, about Yugi."

"Waking up from that must've been hard. I know you miss him."

"It wasn't that though. Something was wrong with him. I think he's sick."

Will was quiet for a moment. Then, finally, "I'm sorry."

"I'm not willing to give up on him." Yami said sternly. "He's not dead yet. And I intended to do whatever it takes to keep it that way."

"Good." Will nodded. "But, keep some resentment. We'll need something to use against Jones."

**Hmmm. Not a lot of reviews for the last chapter. I wonder why….**

**Deadpoolhulk: Sage: I like that rule! **

**No! Bad, Sage. Only I get to kill the characters. Yeah, I do suppose I'm killing them all to fast. XD But it's just so much fun!**

**Aqua girl 007: Thank you for allowing me to live! **


	18. Moving On

**This is just a heads-up, guys. I'm leaving for vacation this Sunday, and will be unable to update for a few weeks. There will still be an update this Saturday, but after no new chapters until I get back which will be after July 4****th****. **

**Sage: LOTS of friendship fluff in this chapter. It may want to make you puke.**

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The gang sat around the fountain, staring intently into the blue waters. The area surrounding the fountain was made up of cobblestone and went around the circumference of the fountain and stretched out north in a wide path. Joey sat on the edge on it and everyone else sat on the ground pulling their knees up to their chests. The blonde took his finger and dipped it into the water, creating a ripple effect. A variety of different colors began to stir into the water forming an image. The picture was of Yugi trembling in his soul room. Joey frowned at the image. It pained him to see his friend in such agony and it pained him even more to know there was nothing he could do.

He hissed and brought a fist down at the water destroying the image.

"Joey!" Tea scolded. Her voice was raised, but the tone wasn't one of anger. Instead, it seemed more understanding than that. "What was that for?"

"Yugi's dying and there ain't anything we can do about it."

"You heard what He said." Tristan cut in. "He said we could help, but only when the time is right."

"How do we know this ain't the right time? Yugi's dying guys." Joey said.

"Don't you think we know that?" The brunette replied. "I want him to continue living as much as you guys, but if that's not part of his destiny then we have to accept that."

"How can you say that, Tristan?" Joey asked. "I refuse to believe that it's in his destiny to die on a ship away from Yami. I don't want him to die still blaming himself for our deaths."

"Bakura died as well. He's paid for his sins, the universe is in balance. It would be reckless of us to enter the realm of the living just to clear Yugi's conscience."

"Well, I hate that! We're still his friends; we have every right to comfort him."

Ryou had spoken a word. He was still in shock from hearing the news about Bakura dying. He couldn't believe the Tomb Robber finally got what was coming to him. After five millennia, he finally got to pay for his sins and be reunited with his family. Bakura was really, finally, dead. He had witnessed it from the view of the fountain and even got to see the Tomb Robber's soul entry into Hell. He got to see the brief, awkward reunion between Bakura and his father. He remembered Father, with the look of anger and pure disappointment in his stone cold eyes. The only words he spoke to Bakura still rang in Ryou's ears.

'You have failed me, my son.' Then he turned away, never giving Bakura the chance to defend himself or even get to tell his father how much he loved him.

Ever since Ryou entered Heaven, he learned all about the earlier life of his yami. At first he felt sorry for Bakura; he had an unconditional love for his father, but his love blinded him. His father didn't ever return the love. The day he had died, his greed got in the way of the safety of his son. The Pharaoh's Army raided the village of Kul-Elna whilst Bakura was doing what his father had asked: Search for Gold.

The man was so blinded by greed, he had such an innate need to become wealthy, he didn't see that he was already rich. He had a family that loved him. Ryou decided that Bakura's father deserved his death, even though it was painful and inhumane. Now, he would get to pay for it for an eternity. Bakura had destroyed his life, and not just by killing him. Bakura had scared away his friends and father, had jeopardized Yugi's life on several occasions, all for the sake of getting revenge on Yami, even though he had nothing to do with the murders of Kul-Elna. Bakura had corrupted Ryou's soul.

'Soul…' Ryou thought cautiously. A wide grin spread across his face as an idea came to him. He was eager to tell his friends. "Guys!" He yelled, jumping to his feet. The gang, startled by the sudden outburst, jumped. When Joey jumped he had lost his balance on the fountain and fell forward onto the hard cobblestone. Ryou sucked in air when he saw Joey fall and he covered his mouth with his hands. "I'm sorry, Joey!" He apologized.

Joey groaned and rubbed his head, moving into an upright position. "It's no big deal, buddy." Joey said, "But, what was with the screaming?"

"I got an idea. We're not allowed in the realm of living, right?"

There were small mummurs of the others concurring with Ryou.

"Well, what if we visited Yugi in his soul room? That's where his mind is right now anyways, and it's away from the mortals." He slightly cringed at the use of the word, 'mortals'. That's always how Bakura referred to other people, minus himself, Yami, and Yugi. He knew that Bakura had some sort of influence on him, but he never imagined it would be so dark. He sighed. He had to forget about Bakura. He was in Hell where he belonged, and he could never touch, talk to , or hurt Ryou ever again.

"We can do it." Ryou continued. "If we concentrate hard enough, we can enter his mind and heart. That bond is still there."

"Ryou's right, guys." Tea said, pushing herself up to her feet. "When we created that bond years ago, we created more than just marker on our hands. We gave each other a piece of our hearts." Tea stuck her hand out in front of her.

Ryou was quick behind her, placing his hand in front of hers so that their fingertips were just barely touching. They glanced over to Joey and Tristan. The two boys glanced at one another for a moment. Joey smiled.

"You know, if it weren't for Yugi, I would've never broken free from Marik's mind control. I would've ended up killing him; he was willing to sacrifice his life for me. I know I can never repay him for that action, but at least I can try and help him for once." Joey placed his hand to the right of Ryou's and Tea's. Tristan grinned and walked over to the other side.

"Don't forget the time Yugi saved us from that bully."

Joey scoffed. "Like I could forget that. Can you believe that the foundation of our entire friendship is based off of a bully? I felt like shit for years afterwards. We weren't kind to him the first time we met."

"I still can't believe you guys used to bully him." Ryou said.

Tristan scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Yeah, neither can we." He sniffed and rubbed his eyes. "But, Yugi forgave us and never looked back on the subject. Even though it got him into a hell of a lot of trouble in the past, I had always admired his ability to forgive and forget. Now, it's time we helped him help himself. If we can get him to forgive himself, for something he _didn't _do, I might add. It might be the only way we can save his life. It was our time when we died; I don't deny that. But, it's not Yugi's time. Not yet."

The trio nodded once and each of them grunted. Tristan stuck his hand into the ring, finishing up the rhombus pattern. A light glow began to rise from their skin. It started on Tea's hand and circled around the hands of the others. Three other lines began to form on the hands of Joey, Tristan, and Ryou. Two of them were small and made half-moon shapes. The one on the bottom made another half-moon shape, but this was much larger. The smiley face Tea had drew back when Yami battled Kaiba for the first time was now on their hands, reminding the group of the bond they made that day. They agreed that they would always be there for one another, no matter what. They had said their friendship was the most powerful force in the world and they were prepared to prove just that. It had taken them a few years for it to get to that point, but the bond the group had was nothing but stronger since that day. Helping the Pharaoh defeat the world of darkness had made them more than just best friends: It made them a family. Family was always there for one another no matter what.

They no longer thought of each as friends, or as just 'Tea,' 'Joey', 'Tristan', 'Ryou' and 'Yugi'. They were brothers and a sister. They were there for one another through thick and thin, good times and bad (though it seemed lately they were united more during the bad times). They had even come to think of each other's family as their own family. The group just adored Serenity, and Grandpa to them was like their own Grandpa. The older man spent most of his time now with his wife and son, both of whom were taken away from him so unfairly during a car accident nearly sixteen years ago. Yugi was only a few weeks old when the wreck happened, and Grandpa barely escaped with his life. He was in a coma for several weeks. The doctors were prepared to pull the plug the day he woke up. Grandpa claimed he felt he was still needed on this Earth and that's why he awoke. It was true, that he was needed.

The now widowed Miss Motou had died the previous night, with her infant son cradled against her chest, of a broken heart. Since then, Grandpa had become Yugi's rightful guardian, and though he loved every minute of raising his grandson, he always felt an emptiness in his heart due to the loss of his family.

The gang had managed to keep Yugi's current predicament secret from the elderly man. They didn't want him to worry about his grandson when he could be spending the eternity with the family he lost.

And even though Joey missed his baby sister greatly, he could only watch her grow up from above. He remembered watching her the night she was told the news about her brother's death. How he wanted to go down there and pet her hair, and whisper in her ear that it would be alright, just like he did before his parents divorced. He watched the memorial services all the families held, and how many of them didn't speak about Yugi. Joey's mother and insisted that Yugi had to have been kidnapped, but since no evidence could be found of that, they assumed that he too, must have died in the fire and due to his small stature his body was burned completely. A few days later, Ms. Wheeler and Serenity held a private memorial service for Yugi alone.

The memories of their family bond flooding back to them, caused the friendship symbol grow bigger and glow brighter. It shone like a sun, rays reaching out like small, thin arms, that blinded the group. Each of them snapped their eyes shut and pulled their necks back, trying to get out of the way of the light. As it grew bigger, the circumference expanded and began to circle the gang. It was outside them like a giant hula-hoop and all of a sudden it snapped and grew smaller, pulling the group so close together their chests were touching. They each began to fell a sudden heaviness drop out of nowhere. Then, there was pain. Everyone was subjected to the worst headache they ever had.

"Ah!" Tristan screamed.

"Nyeh!" Joey exclaimed, biting his lip, doing his best not to let his discomfort show.

"Oh!" Bakura whined, clenching his eyes shut as much as he could.

"Eh!" Tea yelled.

The cobblestone beneath began to glow too, and it opened up. The gang was falling through the floor, clinging to each other for support. Their screams intensified as they fell to their unknown destination. They landed on the ground with a small thud, each one of them on their backs.

"Ow." Joey groaned, sitting up and rubbing his head. He opened his eyes and looked around the room just as the other three were getting up. The room was completely white, but it also looked somewhat translucent, as though it were disappearing. It looked familiar to Joey. "Where are we?" He asked aloud, over the moans and groans from his family members.

"Uh, guys." Tea said, her voice was filled with uncertainty and fear, "I think you need to check this out."

"What is it, Tea?" Ryou asked, as he and the other boys turned around to face the direction the female was in. They all gasped at the sight Tea was talking about. Yugi was only a few inches in front of them, but he looked so far away. His skin was gray, and his cheeks were sunken in. His breathing was shallow and weak.

"Damn it." Joey cursed, closing his eyes and glancing away. He couldn't bear to look at Yugi in through the fountain and he couldn't bear to do it now, in what he could only assume was real life. "We're too late." He finished, letting a lone tear run down his face.

"Don't say that, Joey!" Tea scolded, shaking her head. "He's still alive."

"For now." Joey snorted, knowing no other way to react in times of grief. His mother had abandoned him when he was little, stealing his little sister, his best friend, away from him. She left him with his abusive, alcoholic, father, who would rather spend his time out at bars then searching for a job. The next time Joey saw his mother and sister was nearly six years at a hospital, the day before Kaiba's Battle City tournament. She never apologized for what she did, or explained why never visited or called. She just smiled at him, and Joey was supposed to forgive her? No. Living with his father and being part of a gang once taught Joey to hide his emotions, that way no one could hurt him. If people thought him to an emotionless bastard, then they would leave him alone, which was what Joey always wanted.

Or, what he thought he wanted.

Once he became friends with Yugi, it was as though a heavy weight was lifted off of Joey's shoulders. He could be himself around his friends and he didn't have to worry about being ridiculed. When he was out with the gang, the wall he had built around himself crumpled and he didn't have to inject fear into anyone who looked at him. Joey was happy to consider Yugi his little brother, but seeing him, sick and trembling, made Joey wish he had never met the boy so he wouldn't feel so helpless right now. It was selfish of him, he knew that. But, this was the first time since he entered the group that he had to deal with such emotional grief. Sure, if Yugi died then they would all be reunited, but Joey didn't want Yugi to die. His buddy still had an entire life ahead of him; he could still go to school, get a job, have his own family. He still had to reunite with Yami and help the Pharaoh recollect his long lost memories of ancient Egypt. Yugi still had a lot of loose ends he needed to tie up before he could pass on.

"Mmm." Yugi moaned, rolling onto his back. Joey clenched his fists and crawled over to Yugi. He ran his hand down Yugi's face, feeling tears prickling at his eyes.

"Yugi, buddy," He cried, "wake up." The other members of the gang circled around Joey, watching with regretful eyes.

Yugi moaned a second time and the skin on his eyelids began to twitch. They opened up slowly, and batted a few times before lifting up entirely, revealing his violet orbs. He furrowed his eyebrows, becoming confused.

"Yugi!" Joey exclaimed, pulling his brother into a hug. Yugi didn't return the embrace, instead he looked at Joey with confused, unfocused, eyes. They scanned the room and saw the blurry outlines of Tea, Tristan, and Ryou. "Yugi, man!" Joey went on, squeezing Yugi tighter. "You're awake! And alive!"

Yugi stared back the blonde. "Jo..ey?" He said slowly.

Joey nodded and placed Yugi down on his back again. "Yeah, Yugi. We're all right here."

"Every…one?" Yugi murmured, rocking his head from left to right.

"Yup. Tea, Tristan, Ryou, and me. We're all here."

Yugi smiled and kept his head still. "That's good." He whispered. "I can finally pay for my sins."

Joey frowned and looked over at the rest of the group. Tristan and Ryou shrugged, unsure of what to do. Tea was biting her lip and crossed her arms. She shook her head, letting Joey see the sadness in her eyes. Joey sighed and turned back to Yugi.

"What do you mean, bud?" He asked, trying to play dumb and see if he could get Yugi to confess his feelings. Yugi could hide his feelings better than anyone if he wanted too; Joey knew how often Yugi felt like a bother to others. Yugi would want to do things by himself just so his friends stayed safe, he would say he needed to do this on his own. His friends, of course, would just tell him what a load of bullshit that was and say that they were they're for each other no matter the circumstance or the danger.

"I killed you, remember?" Yugi said quietly. "You guys died in the warehouse fire."

"Yeah, I remember, Yug."

"Now you're here to take me to Hell, right? So I can repay my debt? I know it won't be enough, but it's the least I can do."

"Stop talking like that!" Joey shouted, growing infuritated at Yugi's words. How could Yugi think so little of himself? How could he convince himself that he was the one who murdered the group instead of Bakura, the one who was really responsible? It was asinine for Yugi to continue thinking this way. "You're not going to Hell and you didn't kill us! It was that bastard Bakura. He killed us, not you. And he's paying for _his _sins right now in Hell. He's really dead, Yugi, I saw his passage into the fiery pits with my own eyes. He kidnapped us, he caused the explosion, he is the murderer. How on Earth can you blame yourself?"

"I gambled with lives that weren't mine. I knew the stakes of that duel, but I took them for granted! I took you guys for granted!"

"No, you didn't." Tea said as she approached the two boys. She got down to their level and stroked Yugi's head. "It was us who took you for granted. We didn't realize how brave you were and how much you criticize yourself. You're worth more than the words you give yourself."

"I can't do anything on my own." Yugi said.

"Now you know that's wrong." Tea scolded. "You got food for your new friends all on your own, didn't you?"

Yugi paused for a moment, and then nodded.

"You helped Joey break free from Marik's control all on your own."

"Yeah, buddy," Joey interjected, "if it weren't for you, I don't think I would've ever gotten free."

"Not to mention you stopped Joey and me from being bullies." Tristan added. "You stood up to Ushio all on your own. Nobody told you too, and you didn't have to protect us, but you did."

"You also invited me into your circle of friends right away, and you only knew my name at the time." Bakura said.

"See, Yugi?" Tea asked. "You are a wonderful person. It's not your time to go yet. You are strong. You can beat this illness and defeat Davy Jones. You can break free from the Millennium Rod's control just like Joey did."

"But," Yugi said sadly, "I don't have anyone to help me."

"Of course you do!" Tea cheered, allowing a smile to come to her face, "you'll have us. And Yami. And your new friends. Everybody wants to help you, Yugi. You just need to let them."

"Perhaps you did spend a little too much time with Yami, Yug." Joey said.

"What do you say that, Joey?" Tea asked.

"Because," Joey scoffed, "now Yugi's got a damn ego." He meant it jokingly, and Tea knew that, but she couldn't resist punching him in the shoulder. For the only female of the group, Tea could hit pretty hard and Joey couldn't help but cry out in pain.

"Ouch!" The blonde cried, holding his injured shoulder. "Sheesh, wasn't I abused enough in my life?"

"Oh, you know you deserved that." Tea remarked, making no attempt to hide a snicker. Yugi let out a soft, moan. Putting their jokes aside, the group returned their attention to their ailing friend.

"Yugi," Tea whispered motherly, stroking his hair, "you can fight this ailment just like you fought all those villains in your past."

"I didn't beat them." Yugi cried. "Yami did. I was just the bait."

Nobody knew how to respond to that. They all knew that the bad guys often went after Yugi to make Yami break, and Yugi had nearly died in all of the major battles. Yugi was right in a way; he was just the bait, needed for only as long as it took for Yami to become emotional compromised so that he would stop thinking rationally in order to save his partner. Once Yami let his guard down, the bad guy would always gain the lead.

Tea thought back to all the battles Yugi and the Pharaoh had fought, trying to find a connection that would make Yugi feel better. She knew deep inside her that it would take a lot for anyone to convince Yugi he was worth something, no matter who said or how many said it. She knew that Yugi was like Yami's whole world. The older teen was nothing without his younger counterpart. It was like they were two halves of the same soul; they just couldn't be separated from one another. Yami depended on Yugi just as much as Yugi depended on Yami. Perhaps the Pharaoh depended on Yugi more.

Their relationship was more than just a friendship; they brothers. The gang saw that from the very first time they had learned about the spirit of the puzzle's existence. Yami's desire to protect Yugi was so rewarding to watch, and Yugi's determination to help Yami piece together his lost memories was so admirable. They were they to support and comfort one another.

After going over the facts through her mind, Tea knew exactly what she wanted, what she needed, to say. "Yugi," she began, "it's because of you that Yami finds the strength to fight for what he believes in. It's because of you that he's so courageous, and that he's so loyal. It's also because of you that we all friends in the first place. Our group is nothing without you, Yugi. You are not the bait for the bad guys; you're the reason we fight for the good of the world. Right now, there are two people who need you to guide them and lead them away from evil. You can't die."

Salty tears pooled from Yugi's eyes. "I don't think I'm strong enough to protect them."

"'Course you are, buddy." Joey said, winking. "You're Yugi Motou. You need to believe in yourself like we all do, and like Yami does. He really misses you. We've been watching him too."

"Yami's alive?"

"Yup." Tristan said, smiling. "He's sailing the seas, searching for you. You need to stay alive so you two can reunite. It would be such a shame for him to have gone through all that trouble only just to kill that Jones guy and have to go back home empty handed."

"What do I do about you guys?" Yugi asked.

"You need to move on, Yug." Joey said. "You have other things that require your attention at the moment. Blaming yourself for our deaths will only kill you as well. We won't let you die, buddy. Not yet. We'll keep you here on Earth to save Elizabeth and that Beckett guy even if it means chaining your soul down to the world."

Yugi laughed for the first time in a long time. He hadn't kept track; he was just too depressed with the deaths of his family. He looked around at his group of friends and realized how stupid he had been. He didn't kill them. It was Bakura. And now that Bakura was dead, he didn't have to worry about them anymore. Their deaths were avenged and he could focus to staying alive while aboard the Flying Dutchman. He appreciated them contacting him. At first he thought it was another delusion, just like his conversation with Yami the previous night. If this was real, than that must have been real too. He still felt sick, his chest still felt heavy, but he felt a little better. Maybe laughter was the best medicine after all.

"You want me to move on?" Yugi said.

"That's exactly what we want you to do." Joey said. "Forget about us for the moment. You have better things to do."

"I miss you guys."

"We miss you too, Yugi." Ryou said. "But, we'll always be with in you in your heart. Our friendship isn't just skin deep, you know. It goes far enough down to the soul. You'll always have a piece of us, and we'll always have a piece of you. We'll watch you from above and protect you, just like you protected us for all those years."

"Yeah, Yugi." Tristan commented. "Consider us your temporary guardian angels." He shrugged, feeling a small tug at the small of his neck. "Guys," he directed at the gang, "I think we have to go back now. I feel something pulling at me."

They all nodded and looked back down at Yugi. Tea stroked his hair once more and planted a small kiss on his forehead. Under normal circumstances it would have been awkward, but their lives were too complicated to care anymore about awkwardness. Tea loved Yugi like a brother and she wasn't afraid to show it.

"Good-bye, Yugi." They four of them said simultaneously. Tea and Joey stood up and walked over to Tristan and Ryou. Yugi sat up and stared at his friends and they grouped together and placed their hands in the air, the smiley face circle Tea created forming on their skin.

"Good-bye, guys." Yugi said as the yellow glow grew brighter, consuming his friends. Yugi closed his eyes and covered his face with his elbow. When the light died down, he removed his arm and they were gone.

The white walls of his soul room were changing too. They were becoming darker, the yellow color was coming back, Yugi knew at the moment, as he watched his soul room piece itself back together, that it would be fine. It may take a few more days for him to recover completely, but he knew he would live.

Deciding that he needed the rest to speed up his healing. He curled up into a ball and let sleep consume him.

**Reviews:**

**Kairi: I'm combining my reply to your two reviews since you reviewed chapter 16 after I published chapter 17. I actually liked the backstory I made for Bakura. The Kul-Elna villagers were criminals, but I figured since Bakura was little when the raid happened, he wouldn't be so corrupt yet. I'm glad you enjoyed the Yugi torture! I liked it too! **

**Aqua Girl 007: Now we know why pandas are endangered! People were jealous of their cuteness and flogged them with horse whips! **

**Deadpoolhulk: You're a victim of circumstance; I'm really the evil one because I wrote the damn thing! **

**Sage: Seriously, I think you're the yami.**

**I'm beginning to think so too…. **

**Elemental Ink: It's OK; I understand. I had to take a buttload of exams myself. I hope this chapter answered your question about Bakura…I'm sorry, but it was meant to be a greater of two evils kind of thing, and Jones ended up being the greater evil. **

**Yes, Jack and Will did deserve getting yelled at by Yami. I think the poor Pharaoh's held his temper far long enough with those too.**

**AnzuFan: I'm sorry, but I have no further plans for Bakura. **

**ATEMUES: I'm glad you like it! This has been an interesting fic to write. **

**Assassin Massie: Yay, you're back! You stopped reviewing for a few chapters. I thought you had lost interest in this story. And MeiMei, you and Sage can kill Jones AFTER this story is over. ;) **


	19. I Don't Love You!

**Hello everybody! Glad to know that the friendship-ness in the last chapter didn't kill anyone!**

** Sage: At least we don't think so. But just in case-**

** Lawyer: Eh-hm. Our client, DarkHeartInTheSky is not liable for any injures you may succumb while reading her stories. Read at your own risk.**

** Thank you, Lawyer. So, I leave for vacation today; won't get back for a few weeks, so no updates! :'( Sorry guys! I'll try and get back to writing as soon as I can! **

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Elizabeth didn't sleep all the time Yugi was ill; he took to a habit of his mouth forming words, as though he were conversing with someone. His facial expressions changed often, and they seemed to have a pattern with the words he formed. Elizabeth would sit there and try to make out what she was saying, but in the darkness she could barely see him. She could hear him moan in pain and cry occasionally, but oddly enough he seemed to be getting better. His fever was going down steadly, and he hadn't gone into a coughing fit in hours. It was hard to be happy on the Flying Dutchman, but as the woman watched her friend recover, she did feel herself becoming elated.

The wounds on his back were beginning to welt and scar and Elizabeth knew well enough that in a few weeks they would turn white and would only be noticed by someone who was truly looking for them. She placed her ear to his chest every now and then and could hear his breathing becoming clearer each time, meaning the pneumonia was going away. He hadn't really been sick that long, but time seemed to slow down on the ghost ship, and Elizabeth's worry also contributed to time slowing down. Her anxiety and focus on the time, focus on how long he was sick, was what made the past two nights feel so long. What was ironic was the fact that Elizabeth knew it was her fault time seemed so slow, but knowing that fact only seemed to increase her focus on the time.

Yugi shivered against the cold night breeze, and Elizabeth puckered her lips. She had no idea where the boy's jacket was and nothing she could offer to keep him warm. Watching the boy tremble, she knew she only had one option to keep him warm, and possibly alive. Elizabeth scooted closer to the boy and drew him close to her body. She had to share her body heat to warm him up. She wasn't worried about Will finding out, or what Beckett thought of her actions. She knew what she was doing was saving a life, and it wasn't cheating on Will. It was just a hug, and Yugi was just a friend. Friends cared for one another and helped each other out. Yugi had gotten them food, and Elizabeth was now returning the favor.

The barrel of apples was almost empty, but she was sure Jones would refill it soon. She knew well enough that he wanted them alive, and he had to feed them in order to keep that want a reality. She remembered Jones talking to Beckett once; it was the day the CEO of the East-Indian Trading Company had come out of his catatonic state. Jones said he was after Jack. Elizabeth had no idea what Jones wanted with Jack, but she figured that since the squid captain was after the demented one, the trio was nothing more than hostages that would eventually be used for bargaining. Whatever it was that Jones wanted, Elizabeth sincerely hoped that Jack believed them to be worth the trade. Jack was a good man if you really got to know him, but most of the time his judgment was clouded either by rum or his desire to go after some treasure.

Yugi had stopped shivering and Elizabeth loosened his grip on him. She could feel the goose bumps on his bare chest subsiding. His breath was becoming warmer as well. She felt that he was going to make it. He would survive this.

"Getting a little comfy, are we?" A snide voice said from the dark corner. Beckett walked out into Elizabeth's view. His arms were crossed and his beady black eyes were focused on Elizabeth and Yugi.

"Beckett," Elizabeth said, feeling anger rise inside her. She released Yugi and got to her feet so she could met Beckett's glare. "I was keeping him warm. It was necessary for his survival."

"What about our survival? You've been so busy trying to save that kid that you've seemed to have forgotten all about our predicament!"

Elizabeth found herself greatly offended by Beckett. She scoffed. "For your information, _Cutler, _I know perfectly well the situation we are in. Being kidnapped by the devil of the sea isn't something you forget so easily."

"How dare you!" His voice raised in infliction. "A woman does not speak to a man in such a manner_. _If you were my wife, I could have you hanged for such an act!"

Elizabeth backed away and looked idly at Beckett. She understood perfectly now. "Oh, I see. So that's what this is all about. It figures." She turned away, wanting to agitate Beckett further. He was a proud man and would not let someone walk away from a fight with him. He would have to win.

"What do you mean by that?" Beckett snapped.

Elizabeth smiled maliciously and turned back around to face the man. "You're still in love with me. You can't stand the fact that I choose William over you, so you have to take it out on every man I interact with that isn't you. You're jealous of my friendship with Yugi, and of my engagement to Will."

Even though it was dark, she could see Beckett's face becoming scarlet with embarrassment.

"You deserve better than that no good blacksmith!"

"He's not a blacksmith!" Elizabeth snapped. "He's a pirate."

Beckett rolled his eyes. "Oh, yes. That's so much better." He said sarcastically. "Elizabeth, we both know I'm a wealthy man. I could give you the life you deserve. Imagine, living in a house bigger than you've ever imagined, with servant fetching you your every whim. Dresses, jewelry, exotic foods all at the tips of your fingers! It can all be yours. And all you have to do is cast aside that witty little pirate, and accept my hand in marriage."

"Beckett, I love Will; not you. And I had all that back in Port Royal, but I hated every minute of it! I was never allowed to do anything on my own and my father was going to force me into a marriage with a man I did not love!"

Beckett stepped back as he recalled asking the Governor for permission to marry his daughter. He saw the disdain in her eyes as her father told her news right in front of Beckett. She proclaimed she would not marry him. She avoided him from every day after that and soon ran away with Will to marry.

"That's right, Beckett. I don't love you. I can't stand you! You're arrogant, and egotistical. You think you're God's gift to women and that all of us ladies should drool over you and be killing one another to be offered your hand."

The sun began to rise, causing an orange shadow peeking into the basement. It made two shadows appear on the opposite side of the room. It set the mood for the argument and also allowed Beckett to see the dark circles under Elizabeth's eyes, and how pale her face was. It allowed him to see the bloodshot veins in her eyes and how wrinkled her face appeared when she furrowed her eyebrows.

Elizabeth jabbed an accusing finger into Beckett's chest, causing the man to take a step back. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he was secretly intimidated by her. Perhaps that was one of the things that turned him onto her. For a woman she was outspoken and brave, and while Beckett was taught that a proper woman acted just the opposite, he couldn't help but feel the way he did about Elizabeth.

He loved the fiery spirit that ignited in her eyes whenever she was standing up to someone.

"You can't stand the fact that I chose a former, orphan blacksmith over you, Mister High and Mighty."

"Turner isn't the only damned orphan in Port Royal." Beckett snapped, getting defensive. Elizabeth thought that she and William were the only ones with the problems they had. They never thought about anyone else possibly having the same problems, or coming from the same backgrounds. No, she only used the fact that William had grown up parentless to her advantage, to prove his strength and say that was what she loved about him. She didn't know anything. She didn't know that Beckett too had lost his parents when he was just a child. She didn't know that his parents had been murdered ruthlessly by pirates, and on that on the day of their funeral, he swore he would rid the world of the scoundrels of the sea, so no one would have to endure the pain he had. There had been on time when Beckett had actually wanted to help people, but after years of being bounced from one foster home to another, his heart slowly started to callous, and when he made his first scam he met his first love: money. He made that his life's goal: to earn as much money as possible, so maybe he could achieve the happiness he had lost as a child.

They say money doesn't buy happiness, but Beckett never believed it. His view on that was only the poor, the meager, thought that way so they could feel better about their lack of money.

But Beckett soon found out that they were not lying when they said that.

Beckett shook his head and growled at Elizabeth. "There are some people who had worse, much worse, than Turner!"

Elizabeth crossed her arms around her chest and exhaled deeply through her nose. "Like who?"

Beckett was tempted to tell her off, to tell her that he was a person who had it worse than Turner as a child. He wanted to make her feel bad and regret every foul word she had ever spat at him. He wanted to see her fall to her knees and cry tears of regret. Perhaps she would ask what she could ever do to earn his forgiveness. Beckett would smirk and tell her to marry him. Not ask her, not propose to her. He would tell her, demand her, to be his wife, and he didn't give a dam weather she liked or not, weather she was happy or not. In fact, he wanted her to be miserable, so that way she never felt forgiven, but she would do everything she could to try and earn it.

He wanted to tell her all that and more, if he felt angry enough and wanted to make her fall into a ditch of depression and grief. But something at the very back of his mind tugged at him. He didn't know what it was, but he felt some sort of foreboding. It was as though it was trying to warn him that no good could come out of telling that woman what he wanted too. There was no voice, neither in his head nor from the heavens. It was just that little feeling that continued to tug at him. It annoyed him, but he couldn't ignore it. The darkening sensation it brought upon was too unnerving to just brush off. Beckett gritted his teeth and exhaled harshly through his canines. He looked at Elizabeth who was tapping her foot, expecting an answer. Beckett longed to scream at him and call her an idiot for being so ignorant of his past and of his feelings. He wanted to take her ego down several notches, making her lose all the self- confidence she spent years building up in just a few moments. He inhaled through his nostrils, wet his lips with his tongue and looked Elizabeth directly in the eyes.

"I don't know anyone." He lied. He didn't know why he didn't tell the truth, but it had something to do with the foreboding sensation in his mind. It was telling him that things would work out a lot better, particularly in his favor, if he told a story with false facts. "But I know the exist and it's really ignorant of you just to assume that Turner was the only one who had problems growing up. There are kids who had it worse than Turner, there are kids who had it better, there are kids who had it just the same. Don't think that Turner is special."

Elizabeth bit her lip and rolled her tongue inside her mouth. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around herself even tighter than they already were. "You are right, Beckett." She admitted, avoiding direct eye contact with the man who was, undeniably stronger and taller. "I should have acknowledged that they were other people who had their own difficulties growing up, not just William. But you are wrong on one point: Will is special because he is Will. He's not afraid to be his own person and does not care so much for personal possessions over his friends and family. That's more that I can say for you."

The sun had had finished rising, causing the two shadows to be at full length now. A third shadow joined in, the silhouette of this third creature was not human. Jones snarled at the sight of his captives still under the deck at sunrise. He had specifically ordered them to be up and about as soon as the sun rose up into the sky. True, he had been more lenient with the two older slaves ever since he had gotten the Rod from the lowlife thief and had been using it on the younger boy. But that was still no excuse for them to abandon their daily duties. He may have preferred tormenting the youngest of his slaves, but he could still get a good time out of the older ones. However, old habits die hard.

"Get me the boy!" He ordered, throwing out his claw like a fist.

The girl's head spun around and her eyes widened at the sight of her captor. Her body tensed at his words and she turned to Yugi, relaxing when she saw his chest rise and fall steadily. She was reminded of his illness. The illness caused by Jones inhumane treatment of him. Her protection of Yugi, whom was a younger brother to her, rose in her. She turned back to Jones and glared down at him, her lips formed a deep, dark snarl.

"He's sick." She spat, not caring who she was defying. Beckett remained quiet; Elizabeth saw the fear in her eyes and scoffed, blowing hair out of her face. It was obvious the man was, and would always be, useless. "If you pull him away from here, he'll die! I think that's a gamble you're not willing to take, _Master_. I know what you plan to eventually do with us; I'm smarter than you think. You want to keep us alive so you can use us as bargaining tools to get whatever it is you want from Jack. Killing us would just give Jack an excuse to kill you as well."

Jones scoffed and broke out in laughter. "Ahaha! You are funny, for a girl. Sparrow is too much of a fool to know how to defeat me."

"Jack may be a drunk, but he is smarter than you give him credit for."

"And yet you defend him." Jones said slowly, amusingly. "Of course. The drunk is also a genius. How could I have overlooked such a fact? I mean, forget the fact that Sparrow is a heartless bastard, but he is also the most selfish person I have ever met. He'll use you to get what it is he wants and then he'll cast you aside."

"You're lack of faith in the human spirit is saddening." Elizabeth said softly, feeling genuinely sorry for Jones. He had to have a heart. Surely he gave it away to someone, but had it returned broken. Maybe that was why he hated other people so much. Maybe he was just afraid to get close to people because he was afraid of getting hurt again.

As though he were reading her thoughts, Jones spat and commented dryly, "I am not human. I have no 'human spirit' myself, and I know enough to know that nobody does." His beady black eyes fell from Elizabeth down to Yugi, who did appear sick. Jones mentally cursed himself. He needed to keep the boy alive and by working him any amount at all today would kill him, but he just wouldn't feel comfortable letting all the captives get the day off. It was no fun controlling the other two captives; they didn't put up as much of a fight as the boy. He enjoyed watching the child struggle to gain control back of his mind and body, but ended up failing each time. He loved watching the look of defeat in those violet eyes as they slowly lost their luster and began to cloud over, the knowledge of failure eating away at his soul. The other two didn't fight him at all. They just succumbed to the power of the Rod and their eyes never clouded over with defeat, because they did not try. Their eyes just filled with tears of pain.

The boy was his favorite victim, and it would be such a shame if he died. So, Jones found himself being unusually understanding. "Very well. I shall leave you three alone until the boy recovers. Once that is done, we shall go back to the regular routine. Don't be expecting this kind of treatment ever again. I am not generous by nature. Allowing the boy to live is nothing more than a strategy for business."

"I am grateful nonetheless." Elizabeth nodded her head slowly and she glanced back at Beckett who was quaking in his boots as though he were nothing more than a scared child, which he often made himself out to be, causing Elizabeth to really question his masculinity. Beckett was all bark and no bite. He just pretended to be strong and cunt to get the attention he wanted from the women and possible clients and trading partners. It was all an act. That was one thing about Beckett Elizabeth truly hated. He was never himself around other people. Perhaps it was because he knew what people would think of him if they knew the truth about him. Nobody would take him seriously, making him out to be a total fool in the business industry.

Jones snorted and smirked. "Grateful? What good will that you do, girly? You think I'll go easier on you because you were grateful for my kindness?" He shook his head in a diabolical manner, snickering. "No, girly. If anything, that makes me want to go even harder on you, just to show you how much I hate your gratefulness. However," he paused for a moment, "I shall let it slide for now. I would prefer to keep you three alive. It would be such a waste to get rid of three, young, fit bodies." With that he turned around, ready to leave when something struck Elizabeth.

"Wait, Master!" She called.

Jones looked over his shoulder. "Hm?" He said, smirking.

"Master, we need some more food." She told him, scared about his reaction.

"Anything for my slaves." He said mockingly. "Consider it done; I'll have one of the crewman send it down later tonight." He looked back around and continued to walk off.

"Thank you?" Elizabeth responded, not what else to say.

As he continued to walk away, Jones spoke once more. What he said surprised Elizabeth. "Don't be thankful either, girly. It was necessary for your survival." The sound of his black boot squeaking against the dry, hard wood was the last thing they heard before falling into an uncomfortable silence. Elizabeth and Beckett stared at each other awkwardly, neither saying a word, each afraid of breaking the silence or of stirring up an argument. After about five minutes of total silence, Yugi groaned in his sleep.

Elizabeth turned her attention to him, squatting down and checking his fever. It had gone down greatly, and his face was becoming less flushed, returning to its normal color. Elizabeth relaxed as she remarked on how fast he was getting better. She was even so bold as to think that he would wake up by tomorrow morning, if he kept the rate of healing he had maintained for the last several hours. She did not know what caused the turning point in his heath, but she was thankful for it, nonetheless. Yugi was the only real company she had on this hellhole; if it came to it, she would trade his life for Beckett's. The man had become a real ass over the duration of their captivity. A bigger ass than she had already thought him to be. When it came to his arrogance and greed, it never ceased to amaze the woman just how extensive these bad qualities were.

She stroked the boy's forehead, trying to stimulate blood flow and possibly speeding up his recovery. "Come on, Yugi," she cooed, "you have to get better."

Beckett groaned. "Not this shit again." He cursed, establishing his point by spitting on the ground.

"Just what is that supposed to mean?" Elizabeth asked defensively. If Beckett had something he wanted to say, she was eager to hear it.

"Do you really want to know?" Beckett dared, raising an eyebrow and clenching his eyes so that they popped out of his skull somewhat.

"Amuse me." Elizabeth replied in a mocking tone. She wanted to know what exactly was on Beckett's mind.

"You treat him like he's your son." Beckett began. "You act as though if he dies, you'll die with him. What's the worst thing that happens if he dies? There's more food for us!"

"He's human! And, if he dies, Jones will focus more on us!" She didn't want to bring up the subject of Yugi's abuse as a bargaining tool; it killed her inside to know what he had to endure, but she knew what Beckett feared, and that was Jones turning his attention onto him. "If Yugi dies, Jones will start to treat you like this! Admit it, Yugi's the only reason you're not the one getting beaten daily and berated at. I know you wouldn't be able to handle this kind of torment like him!"

"And why not? I'm a man! He's nothing more than a child!"

"You're a coward." Elizabeth accused. "And for your information, Yugi is more of a man now then you'll ever be!"

"Is that really how you feel?" Beckett said in a low, angry voice. He balled his fists, trying to relieve the stress this argument was making. He could feel the blood pumping inside the veins of his hands. He could also feel it in his temples, swearing someone would be able to see the actual vein bulging from the skin.

"As I always have." Elizabeth said, pulling Yugi's head onto her lap.

Beckett sniffed and pulled his arms behind his back, locking his fingers. "Very well then. If that is truly how you feel, then I will not bother you from henceforth. We shall live under the same roof, but have no further contact with each other."

Elizabeth scoffed and shook her head. "You know we won't be able to keep on with the silent treatment for more than a few hours. We have to converse with one another. How else will we got out of this mess?"

"You actually believe we'll make it out alive? I thought you were expecting Turner to rescue you."

"I have to learn how to save myself; I can't expect some man to save me each time I find myself in trouble. I'm stronger than you think me to be."

"Of course you are."

He turned on his heels and walked to the corner of the under deck that, under an unspoken rule, had become his. He laid down and did his best to sleep, while Elizabeth watched Yugi, urging him to get better, faster.

**Reviews: **

**Kairi: Don't worry; I'll have my laptop with me, but I just won't have time to write. I'll have time to message you and everything else, though!**

**Aqua Girl 007: Honestly, the only hard part about last chapter was writing Tristan. He doesn't really do anything that significant in the anime, and doesn't say much more than encouraging words. He doesn't really have a personality. He had more personality when he was possessed by Bakura in Season 5. **

**Assassin Massie: I understand.**

**Sage: I agree, MeiMei! All this friendship crap is killing me! **

**Shut up; It was needed for the plot!**

**Sage: Or so you say.**

**AnzuFan: Unfortunately, there is still some loose ends I need to tie up with Yami and the gang before the rescues mission can commence. **

**Deadpoolhulk: Hell ya, baby! **

**Sage: Hooray for friendship! Even though it made me want to vomit blood!**

…**..You really have to be a killjoy, don't you?**

**Sage: Tis my job! **


	20. Tia Dalma

**Hello, everybody! I'm back!**

**Sage: Oh, joy.**

**I hope all my USA readers had good 4****th**** of July. I had mine Texas-style!**

**Sage: You mean with no fireworks because we haven't gotten rain since last August and if the dead grass were to catch on fire the entire state would be nothing more than the world's largest inferno? **

**Yup! **

**Sage: Okay…**

**Regular update schedule will now resume. **

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Yami hadn't slept well since his 'encounter' with Yugi. He still was unsure to weather that was real, or simply a dream. Some of him wished it was real because he had close to Yugi once more, he had been able to hold the boy he had considered a brother since they day they met. For those few moments, he was able to forget the mistake he had made by not fighting harder to save the boy when he needed it. Another part of him wished it was a dream because Yugi looked so sickly, and the boy had mentioned something about dying. Yami would hate himself, more than he did currently, if something fatal were to happen to Yugi. He was already having to fight for his life from Davy Jones; if he had something else he had to fight against, (Yami suspected he was ill,) then he didn't think the poor boy's mind could take it. It would be just like the duel against Peagues once more. Only this time…..

Yami didn't dare to finish that thought.

He sighed and leaned against the railing of the boat. The sun was just beginning to set, setting fire to the horizon. According to Jack, they were only minutes away from reaching the home of his friend, Tia Dalma. Yami had no idea what to expect, but he wished this woman could help him in his quest to find his partner, and help Will find his fiancée. The last few days had been torturous, dragging out as long as they could. What felt like hours had only in fact been a few minutes, and the last week had felt like a year to the former Pharaoh. He knew it wasn't good to keep his mind on Yugi constantly; not only was it unhealthy but it wasn't good for his psyche. Yami would've loved to do something to take his mind off of his friend, but he just couldn't. There was nothing to do on the Black Pearl to occupy his time and thoughts and he felt guilty trying to think about anything besides his friend. He was stuck in boredomland and had no way of getting out without making himself feel even worse than he already did. He hoped that Tia Dalma knew something about Jones that could help them; perhaps having something to hope for would be enough to entertain Yami, Will, and Jack through the rest of their adventure, finding their friends. God knows only good news would be of use to them right now. Any more bad news and Yami might find himself putting a bullet through his skull. Jack did carry a revolver on his person, and was totally incompetent when drunk…..

The sun finished moving over the horizon, letting the stars and crescent moon become visible. Yami glanced up at the small orbs of light, wondering what it would be like to be one of them, far above the Earth. He wondered if his parents were up there, along with his friends from ancient Egypt. He had no memories of any of them, but he hoped that even after all this time, they hadn't given up watching over him. Maybe they were even watching over Yugi. He needed all the help and strength he could get, no matter who it was from. Would his past friends be willing to help out a total stranger? The waters were calm, slowly splashing against the side of the boat, but other than that making no sound. The wind was just a slow, steady thing, enough to make the boat move, but not enough to knock the men off their feet. Yami sighed and ran a hand through his hair. It was too dark to look at his reflection, but he still imagined it there. He had lost a significant amount of weight over the past month. Loose skin hung from his waist like a second shirt, and his hair was beginning to lose its sheen and started drooping in front of his eyes, which were also starting to cloud and become dimmer. The wind rippled through the tears in the Jolly Roger mast, making a slight, fuzzy, howling noise.

Out of nowhere, the ship hit something, sending Yami flying backwards, landing hard on his backside. He yelped out in pain and began to shield his face from the unknown danger. But nothing else came. In the distant he heard shouts.

"Damn it, Jack!" He heard Will shout. "You said you could do a steady docking!"

"No!" Came Jack's reply. "I said I might be sober enough to dock without killing us!"

"You said nothing like that! Wait," there was a slight pause and Yami, even though was a distance away from the conversation, could already infer what would be said next, "you're drunk right now?" Will yelled.

"I didn't say that! And I am not drunk! I haven't had a drop of rum in weeks! I don't know where you're getting all these lies from. Maybe you're the one lying!" There was a slight pause as Jack began to think of what else to retort with.

"You said distinctly, 'I can do a steady docking.'" Will growled threw his teeth.

"Well, I don't remember ever saying that."

Will scoffed. "You're impossible."

Realizing there was no danger, Yami stood up and walked over to edge of the boat. The water was too shallow for the boat to maneuver through. The trio of men would have to walk the rest of the way over to their destination. There were also tikki torches stuck in the ground, lit, with wide, open eyes and mouths that appeared to be screaming. Jack and Will came over to Yami and they all headed over to the ramp area. It was a high drop from the top deck of the Pearl down to ground, but Jack didn't bother getting the flat piece of wood.

"It'll take us longer to get that thing ready than it would be to talk to her." He said, getting ready to jump of the ledge.

"What happens when we need to get back on then?" Will asked as Jack was about to jump over. Right as he finished, Jack steadied himself and fell backwards onto the deck.

"Good thinking, lad." Jack said through a groan. "You go get that ramp while I lay here." Rolling his eyes, Will went over to the where the wheel was and grabbed the wood, which was right behind it. He carried it over and threw it down where there was the hole in the boat's exterior.

"Let's go and get this done." Will said through his teeth, growing anxious. He wanted to know what this woman knew about Jones so he could have a better chance of saving Elizabeth. The more he knew of his opponent, the better his odds would be of conquering him. Right now, Will desperately needed the odds in his favor. He laid the ramp down and all three of the men walked down it, slowly. Yami and Will looked around the landscape, dragging their feet through the swampy waters. The mud and grime latched onto the bottom of their pants and slowed them down, almost dragging them to the bottom of the lake.

Jack was running over the water, however. He was a few feet ahead of the other two men, not looking back. Several feet ahead was, what looked like, a small dock, balanced on the swamp by thin, long poles. Jack waited by the edge until Yami and Will caught up, then he pulled himself up onto the platform. As Yami and Will were getting on, there was a scuffle from behind. The sound of feet scrapping against the wooden deck, and the voice of a woman from afar.

From around a corner came a young, Haisan woman with piercing all over her face. At first she looked surprised at her unannounced guests, but then she spotted Jack on the ground and her brown eyes turned to extreme hatred.

Jack got to his feet and placed his hands out in front of him, protectively. "Hello, Tia!" He exclaimed. "Long time no see, no?"

Tia's mouth turned into an open snarl, revealing her yellow, crooked teeth. She walked over to the table that was in the center of the room and grabbed a dusty old rum bottle "_J_ack _S_parrow!" She screamed, putting emphasis on the first letter of each word. "Get o't of my house!" She threw the bottle and it shattered just millimeters away from Jack's feet. Yami and Will stared at each other, not sure what to do or say.

"Now, now, Tia," Jack said, leaning down a picking up a shard of glass, "let's not do something we might regret."

"Like you ever haven't!" She ran over to Jack and tried to push him off the dock, but he grabbed her by the wrists and pulled them above her head, forcing her onto her heels.

"Let me go!" She demanded.

"Not until you've calmed down, Tia. I can't trust you not to injure me or my crewmen."

Tia began to twist and jerk her body, trying to break herself free from Jack's grip. He wasn't much bigger than her, but he was a full grown man, making him naturally stronger. She began to kick her legs out wildly, uncontrollably, and with the way Jack had positioned himself, one of her legs found itself hitting Jack right in his groin.

Yami and Will both shut their eyes and flinched.

Jack was biting his lip to keep a scream captive. He released Tia and found himself falling to his knees, his hands covering his injured area. Tears of pain leaked out of the corner of his eyes, but he made no sounds.

"I told you to leave." Tia said, enunciating her vowels, making her mouth into a large O shape as she spoke. "Now get out before the gators get you. I want nothing more to do with you."

She turned around and was about to walk away when Will spoke up.

"Wait, please!" He called. Tia stopped, but did not turn around. "We need your help." Will finished.

"What is it you want from me?"

Will and Yami stared at each other for a minute. Yami broke the gaze and looked at the back of Tia's head sadly, even though she could not see his face.

"What do you know about Davy Jones?" He asked, his voice was loud, but gentle. He saw Tia clench her fists and her entire demeanor seemed to tense up.

"What business of yours is it?"

"Please, ma'am," Yami pleaded, "he has taken our friends captive and we have no way of tracking him down to rescue them."

"Do not bother, it would be a waste of time. If they were taken by Davy Jones, then they are already dead. There is nothing I can, or want, to do."

"Please, Miss! We realize that there is the possibility of them being dead, but there is also the possibility of them still being alive! We want to save them and kill Jones."

In an instant she whipped around, fire burned in the brown of her eyes. She scrunched up her nose and furrowed her eyebrows. The black spots covering her face seemed to pop right out of her skin; her yellow teeth shone against the blackness of her skin. She stepped forward and over Jack, who was still recovering from his injury. "You want to kill Davy Jones?"

"Yes." Yami and Will said in unison.

She was quiet for a moment, thinking over her decision in her head before vocalizing anything. She cocked her head towards a small table in the center of the dock. "Come with me." She headed over and the two men quickly followed. Tia sat down on a small stool, and motioned for the men to do the same with the remaining seats. She grabbed a kettle that sat on the wood.

"Tea?" She asked.

"Uh, no thank you." Will said, watching as she poured the black liquid into a cup for herself. It smelled atrocious and it looked like the swamp water. "We are just here to talk about Jones."

"Very well." She said, bringing the cup to her lips and taking a small sip. "What is it you want to know?"

"Well," Yami began, shifting in his seat, "everything. Start from the beginning."

"The story of Davy Jones is short. There is much we do not know about him, like where he came from. He was once a man, a sailor, who spent all his time on the waters. The goddess of the sea, Calypso, watched him from her domain and saw how much he loved to sail. She also noticed how many mortal men were meeting their deaths in her domain and that their souls had nowhere to go. They polluted her home and would kill any other seaman that passed by, causing only more poor souls to be trapped in the ocean for all eternity. Calypso was tired of the souls of the men disrupting her peace, so one day, she contacted Davy Jones and gave him a unique job.

"She told him to ferry the souls of the dead from the sea to the Afterlife and in exchange she granted him immorality. The goddess gave him very strict instructions: In order to never die he had to do the job given to him, and he had to ferry all the souls. Jones was very good at his job, but over the years his greed, and so did his power, grew. He had begun to make deals with some of the souls he was supposed to ferry over. He used his power to grant them immorality and in return they had to work on his ship, for him. Their immortality was not as strict; if they are to suffer from a fatal wound then they do die, but they cannot die from old age. The goddess was not pleased with what he was doing, but she felt empathy towards him. Davy Jones had fallen in love, and Calypso could not find it in her to punish him, so she did nothing.

"Davy Jones loved this woman very much. He cut out his heart and gave it to his lover. The woman was disgusted with the act and left him. Now that love was out of the picture, Calypso began to punish Davy Jones. She cast a spell on the heart he had tried to give away. If someone were to stab the heart, then Davy Jones would die. She also cast a spell on him and the rest of the crew, making them repulsive sea creatures, tying them to the sea. Only once every ten years can Davy Jones step onto land. Otherwise he physically cannot exit the Flying Dutchman. Davy Jones blamed Calypso for the loss of his love and used the magic she provided him to bind her to human form. Unless the curse is broken, she can never again return to the water, where she truly belongs." Tia took a long sip of the black tea and when she was finished she began to trace the rim of the cup with her fingers. Her eyes appeared vacant as she told the story, staring endlessly into the black goo she called tea.

"That happened centuries ago. Now, Davy Jones is just a myth among the mortal men. Even the sailors do not think of him being real. Many men have stepped onto the Flying Dutchman. No one has ever come off with their life."

"But, there has to be something we can do." Will whispered, his voice was full of defeat. "We can't just assume they're dead. What if they're alive and suffering?"

"Even if you do find his ship, there is no way you could defeat him."

"He has to have some weakness. No man is invulnerable."

Tia sighed. "There is one way, but it is not fee. Find Davy Jones' heart, stab it. Stab the heart, kill the man. But, the Flying Dutchman needs a captain, and it chooses its captain on whoever killed it's previous Master. One of you will be chained down to the ship for either eternity, or until a new successor emerges."

"If you ask me," Jack said as he hopped over to the table on one foot, "all fault lies on Calypso. If she hadn't given Jones the magic he has now, none of this would've ever happened."

Tia smirked and cocked her head. "That may be true, but if there was no Ferrier of the dead, then the sea would be made up of nothing more than the damned souls of the men who died at sea. They would latch onto your ship firmly and would drag you down to their watery hell along with them." She finished up the rest of her tea in one large sip, smacking her lips once she was done. "Davy Jones became blinded by his greed. His lust for immortality lead him down a path of evil and voodoo; one that permanently tainted his heart."

"How do you know so much about this…creature?" Yami asked, astounded by the story the woman had drawn. He had never imagined Jones as once being human. He knew the details about the heart because Jack had already told them, and he did not want to interrupt the story, but everything else was so interesting. He did not imagine Jones of being capable of love, or any other emotions beside anger, just as he could never imagine Yugi being capable of any other emotion that happiness. That's why anger looked so foreign on him; in the past few years, Yami had only witnessed his partner truly angry a handful of times. One of them being the fight they had just days before his kidnapping. Yami still regretted what he said to Yugi, especially when he knew those could have been some of the very last words he said to Yugi.

The whole ordeal with Bakura, wherever that jackass may be, had turned the two men's world upside down. Yami didn't know where Bakura was, or if he was alive or not. He surely hoped that Bakura was dead by some miracle of fate, but he wasn't going to assume anything until he had the facts. If there was one thing Yami hated other than people who brought harm to Yugi or any of his friends, if was false hope. He knew very well what it was like to get your hopes up only to have them crushed and squished in the end. He didn't want to be a hypocrite on any matter, and to help him maintain that status he rarely ever spoke, not wanting to say something he might, or would, later regret. The only person he had ever been fully honest with was Yugi. Many people refered to him as a child, but it was that child that Yami felt most comfortable with.

"I have my sources." Tia said, answering Yami's question. "History, folklore, if Davy Jones is real, then shouldn't all these stories be true?"

"Have you ever met Jones?" Will asked, leaning forward, his hands were tightly folded in his lap. "And, what purpose would Jones have of taking my fiancée?"

"After his lover left him, Davy Jones vowed he would never love again. I do not know why he would take your future wife. And no," her eyes cast downwards, staring at the rotting wood beneath her feet. "I have never met Davy Jones." Her voice quieted down, but nobody noticed.

"Do you have any idea where his ship may be headed?" Will asked, finding himself a little more at ease with her answers. Maybe he didn't have to worry about Jones trying to do anything with Elizabeth. Maybe he could sleep well from now on knowing that the woman he loved virginity would not be forsaken.

"The Flying Dutchman goes where it is needed. It travels the World. If you were to just sail endlessly in whatever the direction the winds were to take you, you would eventually find him. It may take a few weeks, it may take a few years. But if Fate is ever on your side, you would eventually run into him and maybe, just maybe, you would have enough luck to save your friends."

"Why would we need luck?"

"Davy Jones and his crew are skilled fighters. They have had centuries to practice. You are only children compared to them. Killing you would be like squishing an ant. Only, with more screaming."

"Aren't you the cheery optimist." Jack said through a groan. He rubbed the inside of his thighs, his groin still ached from where Tia had assaulted him. He should have known better than to taunt her and his pain was well deserved, but he still couldn't help but feel she fought a little below the belt. Literally and figuratively. "Why don't you just tell these fine gentlemen that their loved ones corpses are making wonderful food for the fish?"

"I don't need too; you just did."

Jack felt his face flush and he turned to face Yami and Will. He couldn't decipher the emotion in their eyes; it was a mixture of anger and hatred, but it also had a splash of remorse and acceptance. He had not spoken about the subject with the two, but perhaps they were beginning to realize that the possibility of Jones keeping them alive were slim to none. If by some miracle of God they were still alive, then maybe Jones had some sort of alternate use for them. Jack knew well enough that Jones only did favors when they would help him out in the long run.

"Do you really think that, Jack?" Will said, his voice was barely above a whisper.

Jack sighed and shook his head. "I don't know what to think, lad. But I think Tia has told us everything she could. We should probably go and not disturb her anymore. But, ah, first: Do you know where the nearest port is? We only have enough rations to last us another week or so."

Tia raised her back, so her chin was in the air. "Why don't you take some of the food I keep in the back, _J_ack _S_parrow."

"Are you sure?"

She smiled, closed her eyes, and shrugged. "I won't be needing any of it. At least with you it'll be of some use. It is enough rations to last you months. The crates are in the back."

Jack nodded his head and stood to his feet. "Thank you, Tia." He began to walk in the direction she had appointed him. Yami and Will got to their feet and went to follow Jack to help, but Tia called out. Wait, _W_illiam _T_urner."

Yami and Will stopped in their tracks. Will looked at Yami and mouthed the words, 'go on', before turning back around to face Tia.

"Yes?"

"Is _Jack S_parrow still a complete fool?"

"Of course."

She laughed quietly to herself. "I thought so. Here, you should take this." She pulled out a small vile from underneath her dress. She pulled Will's hands and opened his palm, placing the vile inside it. She closed his fingers around it firmly.

"What is this?" Will asked, staring at his closed hand. The glass underneath his fingers felt cool to his skin, and he could see the black liquid inside the glass, bubbling. It looked very unappetizing, whatever it was. It was surely not something he would ever willing take.

"It is for _J_ack, because I'm sure he's going to get himself into fatal trouble eventually. That tonic," she paused and chuckled under her breath, "let's just say it will come in handy."

"I'm sure not sure I want to get involved in the entire voodoo world, Miss Dama."

"This is not voodoo, _W_illiam _T_urner. This is medicine making. And, do not call me 'Miss _D_ama'. I am _T_ia. That is what my mother named me, and that is what I would like to be called by. Now, take the tonic and leave! Your friends and coming back with the crates."

Will turned around and saw Jack and Yami, each carrying a crate large enough that it would store enough food for at least three months. If they both were really filled to the top, they would have enough rations to last them half a year! He pocketed the vile and ran over to assist the men. He grabbed the opposite end of the crate Yami was carrying and together they walked back over to the ship, the trio calling out their thanks to Tia. Once they made it through the bog and up onto the Black Pearl, they dropped the crates, panting. Yami wipped the beads of sweat from his brow.

"Uh, Jack," he said between breaths, "what did you do to make her so angry at you earlier?"

"It is not important, lad. Just a little, uh," he paused for a moment, trying to find the right word, "fued we got into years earlier. We got the information we needed, and a bonus of food. I'd say this trip was worth just the food."

"What do we do now?" Will asked, crossing his arms. "Other than hearing Davy Jones' tragic love story, we have no information to help us find the Flying Dutchman!"

"I think we do." Jack dug into his back pocket and pulled out a small, red box. He tossed it over to Will who barely caught in time before it hit the deck. "You are well aware about the qualities of that compass, right Will?"

"It points to your heart's greatest desire." Will murmured, opening it. The dial ticked between east and west for a moment before pausing at north and doing a 180, staying still at south.

"If your heart's desire is to find Elizabeth," Jack said, staring at the compass, "then take the helm and follow the compass."

**Reviews:**

**Kairi: Did you hack into my computer and find my notes for this story? I had planned to do that with Beckett since before I started writing this. I know how I want to do it, I just need to find the right timing. Besides, haven't there been enough deaths in this story already? **

**Aqua Girl 007: But, if Yugi stabs the heart, then he'll be stuck on the Flying Dutchman forever! Don't worry; I haven't gotten to it yet, but I already have an ending in my mind that I think will throw a curveball nobody will expect. And yeah, what does Tristan do besides flirt with Serenity? He's not even a comic relief character! Well….he does get possessed by Bakura in the last series…I guess that must count for something….**

**Deadpoolhulk: Acutally….that's been a plan since the very beginning….Don't worry, it'll happen soon. I'm just having trouble trying to figure out when I should do it. But I assure you, it will be very, very, painful! **

**Assassin Massie (Dakukira): You changed your name! Why? **

**Yes, Beckett is kind of an asshole, isn't he? But, he'll get what's coming to him in the end!**


	21. Mistakes

**Sorry that it's kind of short; I've been having some computer trouble lately..**

**Sage: Our computer froze while writing this chapter and we lost some of the contents.**

**Well, I still hope it meets your standards. **

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Yugi's eyes slowly crept open. He blinked them a few times as they adjusted to the light. No thoughts ran threw his head for the first few moments until he realized he was alive. He was actually alive and awake! He couldn't believe it even though some part of him had known he would recover. Had everything been a dream? His contact with Yami..his conversation with his long, dead friends? The ones who told him he was not the reason for their deaths? Had they really all happened? He couldn't believe it. Yugi stretched his stiff arms, wondering how long he had been asleep. It didn't seem that long, really. A few hours maybe? Time holds no essence in your dreams. What seems like minutes in a dream is actually hours in real life, and vice versa. His back was too stiff for him to sit up, but his eyes scanned the room. He didn't see anyone else in there with him. Were they all on the deck? What time was it?

Ignoring the aching pain in his body, Yugi forced himself into an upright position, immediately regretting it. Nausea and vertigo swept him, making him cry out in shocked pain. He pulled his knees to his chest and placed his head in between them instinctively, hoping to cause the vertigo to go down. It was extensive and he was seeing double. His body hadn't fully recovered from the illness. Once his mind was on the subject, he felt a heavy sensation in his chest. He tried to hold it back, but it crept up his throat, and like a wild animal, he could not control it. He coughed violently, vomiting minute blobs of mucus. He leaned forward, attempting to stop the puking, when he heard the tiniest of cracks and felt warm blood running down his back. He froze there for a minute, allowing his life source to drip onto the floor, collecting into a neat pile. Yugi found the courage to move his arms behind his back and feel it. His hand was soaked in the crimson liquid, and even though the wounds were still fresh, he could already feel the scar tissue starting to accumulate. His fingers traced the outline of each wound, each one from the flogging Jones administered to him before he feel into his mini coma, counting them. One…two…three…four….five. Five wounds, five scars. Five reminders of the hell he was currently enduring.

Tears began to fill his eyes, and they weren't tears of pain. Yes, his back hurt like hell, and his limbs were still stiff as tree limbs, but they didn't pain him as much as the emotional scars Jones was starting to leave on the boy. He had run away from his home to get away from danger, and he found himself walking right back into its arms. With the Rod and Eye currently in his possession, Jones was invincible. He had made the Eye useless back in Duelist Kingdom, but he and Yami had shared a body back then. They were two souls, two minds, one body. Now, they were two bodies, two souls, two minds. Nothing connected them to one another other than their brotherly love. If he had wanted to, Yami could have left a long time ago in search of his lost memories. But he had stayed. He had stayed to help Yugi escape Bakura.

As for the Rod…it was possible to break free from the hold of it, but only someone who had enough strength and willpower could do it. Joey was able to break free from it, but Yugi felt he never could be that strong. He didn't think he could ever defeat an enemy by himself. He had never been able to do it before. He always needed someone to save him, whether it be Yami or some of his other friends. Yugi just wasn't strong enough to defend himself, much less save anyone else.

His hands felt the area around him, stopping at the edge of soft fabric. Yugi looked down at the blood-stained coat he was sitting on. He pulled at the sleeves, examining the fabric. It wasn't his jacket; it was much too big and the fabric was softer than what he was used too. It had to belong to Beckett, but why would the older man sacrifice his jacket? Yugi wasn't even sure if he had exchanged a line of dialogue with the man, but he sure that the man hated him. Yugi didn't have any idea what he had done to earn the man's hatred. He was used to being picked on and bullied because of his appearance, but his tormentor had always had _some_ reason, no matter how shallow or stupid it may have seemed. He had never been bullied just to be bullied. And he had never been bullied the way he was now. His previous aggressors were always violent and physical towards him. Beckett just gave cold, hard stares from a distant, and acted like the young boy didn't exist. It was much more passive-aggressive than what Yugi was used too. Words had hurt him, fists had hurt him, but oddly the one thing that hurt him above all that was the silence Beckett had given him.

His refusal to acknowledge Yugi's existence hurt worse than the heavy blows on Ushio's fists, it hurt worse than the cruel, hateful words spat out by Yami during his time of anger and frustration, from his growing impatience to Jack to the toiling effect of Cabin Fever. Even though he wasn't there with him, and Yugi wasn't sure when, and if, he would ever see his partner again; in his heart he still forgave Yami. He forgave him for the hurtful words exchanged before their porting in Paris. He knew deep down that the former Pharaoh meant none of it. Yami was never any good at dealing with his emotions. Yugi could read on his face when Yami was proud and angry, but every other emotion, happiness, sadness, were never shown on Yami's face. For some reason, Yami believed he needed to put forth a façade for enemies to be intimidated by him, and while there was some truth in that, they was no harm in showing his true feelings when they was no danger around.

Yugi could hear the dragging of feet across the deck above his head. Sunlight crept into his shelter and the boy thought it was time for him to get up. He pulled the jacket from underneath him and put it on, covering his bare chest. It ended down at mid-thigh and his arms were lost in the sleeves. The fabric was terribly blood stained but it would have to do until he could find where his clothes were. He felt bad about using Beckett's clothing, but he didn't want to do his chores half naked. Sure, Elizabeth and Beckett had seen him without his shirt, but Yugi wanted to preserve what little, if any, dignity he still had. He struggled to his knees. They hadn't been used in days and he had trouble staying steady. He found himself leaning against the wall of the ship for support. He had to slowly drag his feet across the wood, which made a soft, whining sound. He stumbled several times, each time harder than the last.

When he stumbled at the bottom of the stairs, he was starting to lose his will to go on. He wanted to lay there by the steps until someone came down and found him. He just wanted to stay there, unmoving, for however long he felt like it. Whether it be for only a few minutes, or the rest of his life, he didn't care. He just wanted to stay there. It had nothing to do with laziness. It was just depression, attacking his body. Every part of Yugi wanted him to stay there, but deep down he knew he had to get up. He knew he had to help Elizabeth and Beckett; he couldn't just waste away down here in the cellar. Using all of the strength he had, Yugi pushed himself up to his feet and took his time climbing the stairs. He wanted to get to the other two as fast as possible, but he couldn't push himself. That would only send him back into illness, and even though his will to survive still wasn't that high, the thought of slipping back into a mini coma was not appealing.

He came to the last step after what seemed like hours and his legs collapsed under him. He landed on the wood and held back a scream of pain. The shock of the fall ran right up his spine and into the top of his neck. He sniffed and shivered. He wanted to scream, but found himself unable too. It was probably a good thing that he kept silent because, from his spot at the top of the steps, he was able to hear the dialogue of Jones and Elizabeth. It was faint, but clear from his spot.

"….work faster, girly. Ye were the one who told me to leave that boy alone so he could, 'recover'. If you're going to take his spot, you have to do as good as he did."

Yugi sucked in a mouthful of cold, salty air. Elizabeth and protected him? And now she was suffering for him? Guilt poured down on him like rain, and he felt damp in his shame. It wasn't fair for Elizabeth to have to suffer for him. She should've just given him up to Jones; he wouldn't have blamed her. He was only a burden to everyone he came in contact with…

"You were willing to risk his life for nothing! Just to get rid of him, just to be done with him. Life may mean nothing to you, _Master," _the disdain in her voice as she spat out the vile word was clear as day; the hatred was uncanny. For a moment, Yugi would've sworn she sounded just like Yami. "but to me," Elizabeth continued, "life, all life, is invaluable."

"Think what you want. The fact still remains that I have control over your life, and mind. Now get back to work, or I'll be forced to use my little toy on you."

Yugi heard the sound of footsteps walking away, becoming quieter. After a few minutes, he regained his composure. He stood back up and walked onto the main deck, his first sight was Elizabeth on her knees, scrubbing the deck in circular motions. Beckett was near the front of the ship doing the same, and the other members of Jones' original crew were just walking around, as though they were supervising. Yugi's first instinct was to be afraid of them. After all, they did work for the man who was keeping them captive. Or, as captive as they could be on a ship.

_I can assure you, drowning is a most unpleasant death._

Those were practically the very first words Jones had said to Yugi, and they still made an incredible impact. Yugi wanted to be afraid of the other crewman, but he just couldn't find it in himself. There was something in their eyes. Pity, maybe? Yugi couldn't pinpoint it, but there was just _something _about them that made Yugi less afraid. Yugi inhaled deeply and walked, sometimes stumbling, over to Elizabeth. He got onto his knees next to her and said nothing. He wanted to see how long it would take her to notice his presence. It didn't take long. Yugi had been there maybe for five seconds before Elizabeth turned her head, sensing something had just come over.

Her eyes widened when she saw Yugi. There was disbelief in them. Her mouth quivered a bit, and then, she threw her arms around Yugi's neck, pulling him to her chest. Yugi returned the hug, glad that she was glad, and glad that he was missed by somebody.

"Yugi," she repeated his name over and over again, her body shook in happy sobs. "Yugi, you're alive!"

'Yeah,' Yugi thought, 'I am.'

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"The first time I met Jack," she bit her lip and paused, choosing her words carefully. She and Yugi had finished their days work and came back down to their quarters, laying down together, just talking. They stared up at the wood that was the deck above their heads. They could see the cracks in it, and heard the creaking of the crewman walking above it. It was nighttime and it was dark, and they took comfort in each other's company, taking turns sharing their life stories.

"The first time I met Jack," she repeated, sounding more confident in her choice of words, "he actually saved my life."

"Really?" Yugi inquired, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Mmhm." Elizabeth nodded. "My Father wanted me to meet Lord Beckett for the first time, and he made me wear an awful girdle that was strangling me! Beckett and I were on top of one of the watch towers when I just stopped breathing, and fell off of it."

Yugi gasped quietly at this part. It sounded awful, falling from such a height! But, she had to have been okay because she was right here next to him, speaking of it.

"I landed in the water and the next thing I knew, some stranger and jumped in after me, tearing away at the girdle and he brought me to the surface. He was later captured by my Father's Army for piracy, but he escaped, as you know."

They both let out a quiet laugh.

"What about you?" She asked quietly. "How did you met Yami? I know how you got where you are, but you never told me exactly how you two met."

Yugi cleared his throat and moved his eyes away. "That's…kind of a long story."

"Oh, I'm sorry if I'm intruding on anything—"

"No, no. It's fine. You're my friend, and you deserve to know." Yugi sat up, hissing quietly as the scabs on his back pulled at his skin. Why couldn't they just scar already?

"My grandfather was an archeologist; he went to Egypt a lot when I was a baby. One time he found this artifact and he brought it home. He gave it to for my seventh birthday, a few weeks after my parents died. He called it the Millennium Puzzle, and told me it had magical powers. I worked on it all the time, but it was so hard. I didn't have any friends growing up; people always made fun of me for my height, or my hair, or just my overall personality. The only condolence I found was in my room, working on that puzzle.

"It took eight years. And, there was a lot of troubling finishing it," Yugi purposely skipped the subject of Joey throwing one piece away, and him defending Joey from Ushio. They were details he didn't wish to recall, because that meant he would have to relive them in a way. Yugi didn't want to do that; he had enough bad memories already, and then he would also have to answer the questions about Ushio's fate, which Yugi didn't know. All he knew was that Yami had used the Shadow Realm to try Ushio. The Shadows were nothing but fair, and whatever punishment was dealt to him, he had deserved.

"When I put that last piece in, the puzzle glowed and I felt this sense of protection. I heard this voice in my head that told me thank you. It told me it was going to protect me, and I believed it. That voice was Yami. Yami gave me the confidence I needed to make my friends. It was because of Yami that I am who I am today." Yugi felt tears pricking at his eyes. Yami had been the reason for everything that was good in his life; his friends. If he had never completed that puzzle, he never would have made his friends and Yami would have been trapped in his prison forever. Nobody was supposed to solve the puzzle. Yugi did because he was destined too.

Elizabeth was able to see the tears cascading down his face even though it was dark. Between his quiet sobs and the soft snoring of Beckett, there were no other sounds. Elizabeth felt she had made a mistake in asking Yugi the question. It was obvious it had caused him some pain and she was only opening old wounds. Wounds that had once scared, scared, not healed, and were now being viciously torn open, making him vulnerable to the world.

"I'm sorry," Elizabeth murmured, "I shouldn't have pried the story out of you."

Yugi sniffed, shook his head, and wiped his face with his arm. He still hadn't found his jacket and was using Beckett's. While the older man said nothing, Yugi could tell it bothered him very much that he was using his clothes. "No," Yugi whispered, "it's okay. It's good to spill your guts, sometimes. Let everything out. Stop bottling everything up, going on with life, telling people you're fine and okay, when really you're dying inside."

Elizabeth smiled. "Yes," she agreed, "it is good to let your feelings be shown. Sometimes, its best just to express your feelings as they come. No BS-ing anything, letting things come as they come. And, the people who really care about you, and your well-being, both physically and mentally, won't judge you on it. In fact, they should encourage you to scream at the sky, and stomp on the ground. Whatever it takes to release your anger and frustration and sadness, in a positive way, at least, should be able to do so without fear of being mocked."

Yugi nodded, finding himself extremely focused on her, the way she spoke, the way her eyes glistened in the moonlight. She was beautiful, Yugi had known that since the first time he saw her. The way she did her very best to make him feel better, even though she herself was hurting, was very admirable. Yugi couldn't help but think of her as the strongest, most determined woman he had ever met. Tea had been strong too, but she often needed reassurance from everyone else. Elizabeth never voiced her weaknesses, even though she would tell Yugi what she was worried over, and he would do the same with her.

"Sometimes," Yugi began, "it's as though showing your feelings is a burden to others. It's like we're suppose too keep everything bottled up; we're suppose too keep our true feelings a secret. Because if we voice them, we're hurting the ones close to us. It's all stupid if you ask me."

"It is, isn't it?" Elizabeth found herself staring at Yugi. He thought he was weak and helpless, but she saw the truth. Yugi was strong. He was brave and smart. Why couldn't he see in himself what she saw in him, and what she knew Yami saw in him as well. She didn't know Yami as well as she knew Yugi, but if Yugi trusted him than so did she. Elizabeth found herself unable to look away from Yugi. He was short for his age, and she saw how he would be the person to fade into the background, but he was very handsome.

They stared into one another's eyes and before they knew it, they were leaning into one another. Their lips touched for half a second before they realized what they were doing and pulled away violently.

Yugi put his hand up to his mouth, trembling.

Elizabeth stared at him wide-eyed.

"Oh, oh, my gosh! I-I'm sorry!" Yugi stuttered. "That was…so inappropriate. You're engaged! I don't know what came over me! I'm so sorry!"

"No, no!" Elizabeth hissed. "It's my fault! I'm older, I should have known better! Oh, oh, my! How…I'm the one who should be sorry!"

The awkwardness was bone-crushing and Yugi shook his head. "No, no! I should be able to control myself! Oh, God, I'm sorry!" He stood up and ran over to the far end of the boat and curled up in a ball. He did his best to go to sleep and avoid Elizabeth's eyes.

He felt so stupid! He had just kissed her! And, not only was she engaged, but she was at least ten years older than him! He felt stupid and small, and weak. Just like what everyone had always told him. Yugi cried silently, cursing himself. At that moment, he hated himself more than he ever had before. He probably had just destroyed the last friendship he had left with one, stupid action that hadn't even last a single second.

Elizabeth saw Yugi trying to sleep and tried to do the same. But, she felt like a complete fool! She had a fiancée, Will. What would he think if he ever found out? Would he dump her for being untrustworthy? Yugi wasn't even an adult! It was a mistake, a stupid, stupid, mistake! She laid down and tried to sleep away the guilt she felt. She hoped the tension would wear off soon. Beckett was an ass and Yugi was the only other person she could talk too without wanting to pull out her hair.

She hoped they could still be friends.

**Reviews:**

**Tsukiko Kaiba: It's okay; I've been having some computer trouble too so I understand. Yeah, Jack will never stop making people mad. But, it's incredibly fun writing his scenes. He's so easy-going and we all enjoy seeing Jack in pain when he deserves it! Unlike Yugi, who we like to see in pain regardless. I wonder why that is…**

**Kairi: The story between Jones and Calypso is just creepy if you really think about it…**

**Dakukira: Wow. Dark Killer. Interesting… Don't worry, I know who will take Jones' place. I think it will surprise a lot of people.**

**Aqua Girl 007: We all know Jack would do something to get himself kicked in his special spot. Glad you liked the chapter!**

**Deadpoolhulk: Bakura is just scary. Squid face or not. He was supposed to be a vampire, you know. And that's just what Yugi needs: A vampire trying to kill him at sea because his best friend's father killed his father….Wow. Sounds like a bad soap opera. **

**Well, since you're my only male reader, I can only take your word for it that getting kicked 'there' hurts. **


	22. One More Life

**I'm not very happy with this chapter. The procrastination fairy cast her spell on me, and I waited until the night before this was due to write it. **

** Sage: Sounds like a personal problem.**

** Yeah..so…enjoy. But, this chapter may be disturbing to some readers. **

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

It was awkward. That much was to be expected. Yugi and Elizabeth mentioned nothing of the night before, each preferring not to speak of it. Some things are better left untouched, unsaid. Yugi wouldn't lie normally, but this wasn't really lying. There was a difference between lying and let's-just-not-even-mention it. They went about their days work as normal, doing whatever it was Jones ordered them to do. Actually, lately it seemed they were more prisoner than slave. They had started to spend more and more time down in their little sleeping quarters, and less up on the top deck with the members of the Flying Dutchman. Most days they just lay down there, having nothing really to talk about. If they had not had to worry about their lives constantly, the boredom would've driven them all to insanity.

Beckett had become more sullen as well. Though he barely spoke normally, now Yugi and Elizabeth never heard from him. They figured he was having a serious bout of depression, but who wouldn't in their situation? A routine had been established; they would wake when the sun rose over the horizon, eat a little of what was left of their apples, and just sit around doing nothing unless Jones ordered them to do something. They would do it, then once the sun was heading back down, have a little more apple then they would go to sleep. It was dull, it was tedious, but it was their life now and they had to accept that. They still did not have a decent idea as to why they were taken in the first place, but they knew better than to ask questions.

The truth would be revealed in time, and if it never came out, that was fine too. Some part of them didn't want to know, but some part knew that the truth was necessary. We like to fool ourselves, claiming ignorance is bliss. And it is. But, there are some things you are better off knowing. Knowing is empowerment, it's how you learn about the world around, and how you learn to avoid certain scenarios, avoid saying certain things to certain people.

They didn't want to know because there may have been something they could've done to avoid the situation, to avoid the kidnapping altogether. Yugi stared at Elizabeth from his corner and saw her with her head between her knees, not moving. Yugi chewed on his cheek, mentally beating himself up for what he had done. He had been so stupid! What on Earth would she think of now? Yugi didn't want to know. He didn't want to know if he had lost his last friend. He wanted to rewind back in time and stop himself from kissing her. He wanted to stop himself from destroying his chance with friendship.

But, seeing her there, so upset, Yugi had to do something. He stood up and walked over to her where he got on his knees and put a comforting hand on her back. She looked up at him, her hair stuck to her face, her eyes bloodshot from insomnia. Yugi realized he had done this to her. Seeing her like this, Yugi had to fight back his own tears.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. He had done what he meant to do, and he stood up and began to make his way back to his corner, when he felt a pressure on his wrist. He looked back and saw Elizabeth holding it, tightly. The look in her eyes spoke for her. Stay, please. So Yugi sat right back down.

"No." She whispered too. "I'm sorry. I…I…it was just as much my fault as yours."

"I hurt you. You're crying."

"Because I miss Will. Because I want to go home. Because I don't think we'll ever make it out of here alive. I know it's a terrible thing to say, but I can't keep fooling myself anymore. They're not coming. If they are alive, they'll never find us. I don't even know where we are. There's no way they could track us down. If this is to be our life from now on, I don't think it's worth living."

Yugi blinked, staring at her gently. "No," he said, "it's not worth living. But, we're going to live it. Because, if there's one thing my life has taught me, it's that bullies really hate when you fight back. Forget ignoring them that does nothing. But when you fight back, in your own, passive-aggressive way, it really ticks them off. Jones is our bully. We are going to fight back by continuing on with our lives."

"But, what if that's what he wants? If he wanted us dead he would've done the deed a long time ago. Why would he keep us alive for all this time if he didn't have some sort of us for us intended? What if he has some kind of plan that involves us?"

"Then we'll wait and see. If he has some ulterior motive for keeping us alive, than we must figure it out and use it against him. We'll probably find it out soon, anyways."

Elizabeth smiled at him and brushed a strand of her dirty-blonde locks behind her ears. "When did you become such the motivator?"

"I always have been. I just…lost it for a while. But now…I don't know. I feel this surge of defiance running through my veins. I want to _fight _him. All my life I've been the victim, but know I want to fight back for once! And not in a passive aggressive way either. I want to hurt him! I want him to suffer!" Hot tears leaked out of his eyes. This kind of thinking was so uncharacteristic for Yugi. He never wanted anyone to hurt; he cherished all forms of life. Never before had he wished harmed on anyone else. His eyes shot open wide as they could and he pulled at his hair, his fingernails digging deep into the skin of his skull.

"Is that awful of me?" His voice was so quiet, Elizabeth barely heard him. It was below a whisper, as though no one was supposed to hear it. "It is wrong of me, to want him to hurt? To maybe, even want him dead?"

Elizabeth placed a motherly hand on his knee. "He hurt you, Yugi. It's only rational to want him to hurt as well."

"But is it _wrong?"_

Elizabeth frowned. "I don't know what to tell you, honestly. Is it wrong to wish anyone dead? Yes. But, do you have a right to want Jones dead? Of course. He's done more than just hurt us; he's torn us away from our families, he's abused us emotionally, he's torn us to the bone! But, I'm sure he has a heart somewhere."

"Physically or emotionally?"

"Of course he physically has one; he couldn't live without one. But, emotionally…I'm not sure, Yugi. I'm really not sure."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Jones lit up on his pipe and reclined back in his chair. He inhaled the smoke deeply and blew it out slowly through the two slits in his face that were supposed to act as nostrils. He stared down at the World Map lain out before him on the table, a pen in his claw. He had a large, thick circle drawn around France, marking where he had started this journey. A large line was drawn out. First it went up North, almost to Great Britain, but then it went South and Westward, into the Atlantic Ocean where his ship was now sailing. He hadn't the slightest idea was to where the Black Pearl was sailing. He had no way to track down Jack Sparrow, and could only let the winds take his ship to wherever they blew, hoping he would run into the bastard. By his calculations, Jones was about a hundred miles away from the Caribbean, the islands where Jack was from. If he continued at the rate he was, he would make it there by the end of the week. The smoke came out in soft curls, evaporating in the cool air. He still has his captives; they were on the Pearl, so they knew Jack. Hopefully they meant something to him and Jones could use them as bargaining tools, which had been his original plan all along. His eyes glanced down at his feet, where the two Millennium Objects rested. He grunted and bent down to pick them up. That strange man who bumped into his boat had them. Jones could not figure out why or where he had gotten them from. He spoke briefly about their powers, and that was when Jones had figured out how to tap into them. He used the object called the Millennium Rod to take control of that stranger's mind and made him walk off the side of the boat, into the merciless waters. Another thing that bugged Jones about that stranger was his connection to the boy on the ship. Yugi, was it? Jones did not put forth any effort into learning the names of the humans on his ship. It was irrelevant to him, it made no difference whatsoever. Besides, there is a sense of dehumanization when you made a person think they are no longer worthy of a name. And, that was all there was to make a person succumb to your will; make them lose their will to fight back.

But, Jones wasn't too concerned with them. They had no chance of being able to fight back with the Items he now owned. He loved being able to see into their minds with the Eye, especially the boy's. He was able to dig through his memories like sand, the less interesting ones falling through his hands. He was able to see back to the boy's first memories, although he had no interest in searching through his captive's early childhood. He was, however, able to see his first time on the Black Pearl. He was able to see the other man, the older brother, too. He could see the boy's emotions at the time of the memory.

They were some flaws, however. He was only able to see whatever the boy himself remembered, and if they were memories he had locked away deep inside his mind, or had repressed altogether, than Jones had no way to access them. He had tried to find the boy's relationship with that stranger, but found himself staring a brick wall, blocking his view from anything having to do with the stranger. A lot of the memories he was able to access were useless and boring to him; his sixth birthday when a little brunette girl accidentally spilled ice cream on his lap, his first day of high school when some larger kids shoved him into the rows of lockers. Jones noticed he was able to access most memories until a certain point, and there was a large gap there.

Sighing, Jones took another inhalation of his pipe. Perhaps he was thinking into this too much. The boy hardly looked smart enough to be able to deceive anyone, and maybe there was nothing significant about that gap in his memories. Now that he had recovered from whatever was ailing him in the first place, Jones now had the opportunity to use his Items on him. He did enjoy using the Rod to make the boy say whatever Jones wanted to hear, and it was fun to see the boy struggling to gain back control of his mind and body. But, resistance was futile. The boy could struggle as much as he wanted, but he would never be able to break free from the ring of control the Rod had over him.

Then there was the woman. She was very pretty, Jones would admit that. But, he would say nothing else. She was just as stupid as the boy, and could only lead to trouble. He remembred clearly the last time he had been romantically involved and it ended up with him tearing his heart out, literally, only for her to regret him.

_Bump-bump. Bump-bump. Bump-bump._

Jones' eyes averted to the chest he kept away in the corner. That is where his heart lay, still beating, still alive. That was the symbol of his heart break. He had not expected his lover to leave him so suddenly, but in the end Jones got his revenge.

Never again would Calypso, now known as Tia Dalma, be able to return to her kingdom in the sea.

Woman were trouble, Jones knew that much. And this one onboard with him could only deceive him as Calypso had.

Then there was that man. Jones knew nothing of him, or what to think of him. He was very quiet, rarely speaking, which Jones would admit he was rather thankful of. However, he did have an aura of self-centeredness. And he was an ass. Jones could tell that just by the way he talked. He didn't need to speak for Jones for to hear him. Jones didn't even have any use of him. He didn't know his name, or what he did, and as far he looked, he held no use. He was just a waste of air; better off dead.

Thinking of the foolish mortals he had harbored on his deck began to cause a headache. Groaning, Jones put out his pipe and reached for the bottle of rum right across the table. He pulled the cork out with his teeth and took a long, gulp of the liquor, letting it burn the lining of his throat. He flared his nostrils and grunted. The alcohol was already starting to dull the pain in his head. He took another sip, his mind starting to wander in different directions.

His beady black eyes moved down the map. The long, black strokes that marked it showed how far the ship had moved in the past few months. It was astounding that he was able to do all that in just a little over a month. But then again, the magic used to make the Flying Dutchman could make it do anything let alone for fly. It could sail a hundred miles in just a day.

The beginning stoke around Paris was reminder of the slaves. Two were somewhat helpful, and would be helpful when he eventually ran into Jack. The other was useless and lazy. Jones did not know his affiliation with Jack or with the other two captives, but from the way he interacted with them it couldn't be an ideal relationship. Sometimes it even seemed the others wanted him dead.

An idea came to Jones suddenly.

He grinned evilly and took a final swig of rum, emptying the bottle. He was drunk and was thinking irrationally. He stood up and exited his Quarters. He need to round up his slaves and do everyone, including himself and the rest of the world, a favor.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The three of them stood on the main deck in the blistering wind, the chill causing goose bumps on their exposed skin. Jones had ordered them up here nearly an hour ago, but never said what he wanted for them. Each time they asked, he only replied with a curt, 'you'll see. Just wait.'

So they waited, but as each minute ticked by with no response, Yugi and Elizabeth began to worry. Beckett's expression was hard to read, as it was just a cold, stoic face that showed no emotion. The ship gently rocked back and forth, left and right, with the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. The other crewman, the Sharkman and Coralman, and another odd looking creature would occasionally walk by, but otherwise they stayed in their own part of the ship, rarely coming out. Jones was in his Quarters right now, preparing for whatever it was he had planned for the trio. As time ticked by, Yugi and Elizabeth's anxiety only increased.

"What do you think he wants?" Elizabeth said hastily, shivering in the wind.

Yugi shook his head. "I have no idea." He was smaller than the other two, and his body heat depleted faster. He could literally feel the blood drain from his face. His legs trembled beneath his body. "We should just wait and see what happens. No point in thinking the worse."

Beckett snorted. "So we should just pretend like he's back there preparing a nice, warm stew and thinking up an apology to us? Face it, kid. He's making our death beds."

"Do you ever see the good in people?" Elizabeth asked curtly. Beckett closed his eyes and scoffed, shaking his head in a disapproving way.

"He's not a person; he's a monster. There is no person there."

"Then what do you think he's going to do to us?"

"Whatever it is he wants."

Yugi and Elizabeth stared at Beckett, but they remained silent, not wanting to hear more of Beckett's pessimism. They were worried enough without his opinion, and each word that exited his mouth only added to their anxiety. They had been wondering what Jones was thinking since he called them up onto the deck, and why it was taking him so long to prepare himself. They didn't want too, but they couldn't help but think the worse.

The wind howled softly. The boards beneath their feet creaked as the ship tilted every which way with the waves. No one said anything. Then, Jones came out of his Quarters, carrying something under his arm that the trio could not see. He walked until he was right in front of them, just a few feet away. Yugi squinted his eyes and was able to see part of the object under Jones' arm. It was red and dripping.

Yugi gulped as he saw the dime-sized droplets of red hit the wood. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the red was blood. He hated blood. Just the sight of it made him want to vomit, but now he could smell it and it burned the hairs inside his nose.

Jones straightened up and cleared his throat. "One of you," he began in his deep, scratchy voice, "does not belong here. I have no idea who you are or where you came from. I do not even know your relationship to the man I am after: Jack Sparrow. After I deliberated over it for a while, I have come to my decision: Back during your first days on the Flying Dutchman, I told you that you were worth more to me alive than dead. I lied. To one of you."

Each one of the captives stiffened, but they remained silent. Elizabeth began to hold her breath, as she always did when she was nervous. Yugi clenched his fists and did his best to hold back the tears that were threating to break through his lids. Beckett's expression was harder to read, as he remained motionless. Weather he was afraid or not could not be read.

"The one that will die," He pulled his mystery object out from underneath his arm. It was squid meat. He put his hand, claw, over the edge of the boat and dropped it. The whooshing sound could be heard as the raw meat broke through the air and landed in the water with a loud splash. "will not die in vain, however." Jones continued. "Oh, no. Their death is absolutely necessary."

The ship began to tilt. Jones smirked, revealing his row of sharp teeth. "Ready to know who will perish?"

Something pushed the side of the boat with a large force, knocking the trio to their feet. They slide down the boat as the port side began to lean towards the water. They all were screaming. Elizabeth caught glimpse of a large, red, tentacle. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw it shoot up into the air and came down hard and the opposite side of the boat, sending them back to where they were.

Jones was laughing hysterically. "Say hello to my pet. The Kraken! He hasn't eaten in a while, and is awfully hungry. But, which one of you will curb his appetite?"

Beckett's eyes widened. He finally understood. He was to be feed to this sea creature. His eyes shot over at Elizabeth and Yugi who were each quaking in fear. Beckett felt something tug at his heart strings. He wanted to help them. He wanted them not to be afraid. He saw the only way he could do that, was to sacrifice himself. He gulped, praying that it would be painless, praying to God to forgive him for all his sins. The large tentacle came back down, shaking the boat. Beckett looked up at his death. He was not afraid. He stood up, as best he could with the boat rocking as hard as it was.

"Beckett!" Elizabeth cried, seeing him walking to the side of the boat where the Kraken was. "Beckett, are you insane?"

Over the sounds of her own crying, Jones' laughter, and the Kraken's screeching, she could barely hear him. But, he turned around and faced her.

"Elizabeth," he said, though his voice was drowned out from all the other sounds. "I'm doing this for you. So you can live and marry Will. Tell him that I say he is a lucky man."

"Beckeeeett!"

He turned around and griped the sides of the boat, taking a deep breath. He saw the eyes of the Kraken, and felt as though his soul was ripped out of him.

Yugi stumbled to his feet, shaking his head in disbelief. After all this time, he thought Beckett was just some selfish business man. But here he was, about to sacrifice his own life to save his and Elizabeth's. He couldn't let him do it.

"No, don't do it!"

"I have too, Yugi." He said without turning around.

Yugi froze. It was the first time Beckett had ever called him by his name.

"Take good care of her."

Yugi nodded and gulped. "O-of course. Beckett, I'm sorry. I never—"

"No, it is I who should be sorry. I thought you were just some mindless child. But I was wrong. You are a fine young man, Yugi."

Beckett sighed and leaned over the railing, he lifted his feet of the deck.

"Beckett!" Elizabeth sobbed .

Beckett leaned a little further, a little closer to the mouth of the Kraken that was now preparing to eat, keeping its mouth wide open. Beckett could see its slimy tongue. He let go of the railing and fell down off the Flying Dutchman into the waters.

"Beckett!" Elizabeth cried, falling to her knees.

Jones was laughing hysterically. He turned around, not saying anything and walked back up to his Quarters.

Yugi felt tears pricking at his own eyes. He looked over the railing and saw Beckett's black hat floating in the waters, being carried away by the current. He thought he was going to be physically ill.

Elizabeth stayed on her knees, sobbing. Yugi stood, frozen in fear, and watched as Beckett's hat floated on the ocean, and eventually went out of sight. He looked down at Elizabeth. Seeing her on her knees, crying, made him angry.

He wanted to be there for her. He decided then and there that he was going to defeat Jones: No matter what it took.

**Sorry, guys, but no review replies this time. I'm tired, and I really just want to know what you guys thought of this chapter. You've been asking for Beckett's death for a while now. I always had planned it, but I just wasn't sure when to do it. Sooo….Please, review? **


	23. Coming Together

**Well, this story is starting to come to a close. I only have two more chapters planned after this. It's been a pleasure writing this. This is by far the best story I have ever written. If I didn't have the support of my reviewers, I wouldn't have come as far as I did. Thank you.**

** Sage: Blah! Enough of this mushy crap. Just get to the chapter.**

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Elizabeth was numb, lifeless. She had just witnessed Beckett's horrific death and did nothing about it. Could she have prevented it, maybe? Could she have sacrificed herself in his place? The questions were left without answers, and that was what hurt the most. She placed herself in a corner, curled up in a ball. There were no more tears. She had cried everything she had. The dark bags under eyes indicated that she had not slept at all last night. She couldn't get the thought of Beckett's hat floating endlessly at sea. She would never forget the look her gave her before he took the deathly plunge, and the words they seemed to speak.

I'm sorry.

That was what his eyes said, and the look of his eyes told Elizabeth he meant it. She let out a pained sob and shook her head violently. She was sorry too. But she would never get to say it. She was sorry that she was so mean to him. She was sorry she treated him poorly. She was sorry she would never get to say that she was sorry. There was so much he still had to live for. He was still rather young, maybe in his earlier forties at most. He had his own company, his own employees who looked up to him. Now, without the Co-Executive Officer, the East-Indian Trading Company would surely go to hell. His company was a major part of the Port Royal's economy. Without his trading, Port Royal would go bankrupt.

She always knew Beckett was an important man. But, she had never given much thought to what would go on if something ever happened to him. But, perhaps the biggest thing that had scared Elizabeth from Beckett's death was how much power Jones had. She always knew he was strong, but she never realized exactly how much control he had over her.

"It's okay." She heard Yugi say. She picked up her head and looked at him. His back was turned to her, but she could tell from the tone of his voice what the look in his eyes was. Dead, dull. He hadn't said a single word since what happened just a few hours before. But, she was too busy in her own grief to have noticed before. "We can beat him."

Elizabeth pushed herself into an upright position and wiped her eyes. "No we can't. He has the entire ocean at his disposal. Not to mention those Items! We can't break free from their reign!"

"There is a way." Yugi said and he craned his neck so that he was facing her. "I had a friend free himself from the control of the Rod before. It is possible."

"How though?" Her voice cracked when she spoke.

"Think of something that makes you happy. He'll try and control your thoughts too, but just try and think of the happiest thing you can possibly think of. Once you can start controlling your thoughts, than you can break free."

"How come you've never done it before?"

"Because I didn't think I was strong enough. Then I realized, I haven't even tried. I can't just assume something. I have to at least try." He took her hands and held them up, staring intently in her eyes. "Look, I don't know if Yami is out there somewhere looking for me. I don't know if he's thinking about me, I don't even know if he's alive. With the knowledge I have, I can't just sit around and wait to be rescued. I have to do something! Jones is the biggest, cruelest, bully I have ever met!"

"I would hardly call him a bully." Elizabeth interrupted, giving Yugi a disapproving look. "He's a monster! He murders for _fun_, Yugi. A bully teases you, maybe shoves you around some, but he wouldn't ever kill you. Jones…he….there is just no word to describe him!"

Yugi inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, focusing on his words. "You're right. Jones is evil. He's cruel. Demeaning. But I cannot just continue to sit here and let him hurt us. I will not let Beckett, or anyone else who may have happened to get on the wrong side of Jones, I won't let them die in vain. Beckett sacrificed himself for us. We need to show him he didn't make a terrible mistake. We have to fight Jones. No more sitting around, doing nothing. We have to fight back."

Elizabeth felt tears running down her face again, her lip was quivering. She nodded. Yugi was right. They had to do something. They needed to avenge Beckett's death. Or was it a suicide? Beckett jumped of the boat himself, but he had done it to save her and Yugi. If he hadn't done it, the Kraken would've continued to attack the boat until it flipped and then they all would've be dead. Was it a suicide? Elizabeth didn't want to think so. But, Beckett had jumped of the side out of his own free will, even if it needed to be done for the majority to survive.

"You're right." She whispered. "We need to try and break free of the control of his Rod. It's the only way we have a chance of winning when we fight back. But, what if he uses the Eye to read our minds?" Yugi opened his eyes and looked at her, thinking of his reply carefully. She did bring up a good point. What if Jones used to Eye to read their minds, and figured out their plot? There'd be no way to stop him if he knew their every thought. But, as he thought about it, he realized a loophole.

"Hopefully he'll only see the happy thoughts we're using to break free from his control. I doubt he wants to tap into our memories. He doesn't seem to care at all about our childhoods or what our lives were like before we stepped foot on this Floating Hell. All we can do is hope. Fate must be on our side because we're still alive. Somebody must be looking out for us." He gave her a small smile and she returned it.

They heard the sound of footsteps and the creaking of the stairs. They froze and waited until Jones came into sight. He turned and looked at them, smirking.

"Good morning." He said in a hissing voice, that appeared to be mocking them. "How did we sleep?"

Elizabeth glared at him and small growl escaped from her throat. Jones looked over at her and raised the skin around his eyes in amusement. "Is there something you would like to say to me, girly?"

"There must be a God because you're the Devil." She snapped.

"Well, you're the Devil's captive." He glared at her, insulted. "A captive amongst someone who could kill you with a single blow from his hands. I'd watch what I say if I were you."

"But you're not. Even if you were, I highly doubt that you would just sit back and let everything you've put us through happen to you."

"Are you saying you want to fight back?"

"I'm saying you have no idea what you're talking about."

Jones scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Be that as it may, I have other things to attend too. So, stay down here out of my way. I wouldn't want to have to dispose of you like that other fool last night." He turned around and made his way up the steps. The only noise was the creaking of the old wood. Elizabeth and Yugi looked at other.

They had nothing to say.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Yami could feel it. He could feel that he was getting close to Yugi. It didn't make sense because their mental bond had been broken the day Bakura had spilt their souls. But, he could feel Yugi's presence. It was as though he was standing right next to Yami.

Knowing he was so close to his partner made Yami like a kid in a candy store. He could barely contain his excitement. But, he was also afraid. What if he couldn't save Yugi? What if he could save Yugi, but the emotional scars would be too much to handle? What if there were physical scars that lowered his self-confidence even more than it already was?

Yami exhaled and shook his head. He shouldn't worry about it right now. Right now he needed to focus on saving Yugi. He would deal with everything else as it came along. The important would be his reunion with Yugi.

He leaned over the railing as he normally did and stared at the waters. He enjoyed seeing the different sea life. He liked it when the dolphins jumped out of the water and followed the boat. He liked to see the whales coming up to the surface to take in a breath and shot out the water in their mouths. Something about watching the life below the sea comforted him. It made the world seem so big, because there was another world right beneath him.

He felt movement to his right. He already knew who it was. It was Will.

"We're close." Yami said, not looking up from the water.

"How do you know?"

"I can feel him. It's like he's standing right next to me. We're really, really close, Will. I can almost feel the touch of his hand holding mine. I can almost hear the sound of his voice." Tears were starting to slip out of Yami's eyes. He wiped them away with his sleeve. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"A few months, yes."

"What if they're not the same? What if the damage has been done, and there is nothing we can do to reverse it?"

"I'll still love Elizabeth the same. Nobody can go on the Flying Dutchman and come off without some kind of emotional burdens. But, I believe they'll be the same people we know them as."

"You seem so sure."

"I know Elizabeth. I trust her to be the same woman I fell in love with, and when I rescue her and kill Jones, I am going to marry her just like I should've back in Paris before this entire Jones fiasco began."

"What do we do when we run into the Flying Dutchman? I doubt we can just jump onto the ship. We don't know where Jones keeps his heart. Just running blindly onto a foreign ship, and a ship of a murderer no less, is suicide."

"I believe we'll know exactly what to do when the time comes. Now, let's go. I think Jack may need us."

Yami and Will turned around and walked towards the wheel of the ship. Jack was just leaning across it, not moving it. The wind was strong, but gentle, pushing the boat forward.

"Jack!" Will called out, making the captain jump.

"What?" He snapped, grabbing his hat, pushing it down on his head.

"Yami says we're close to Jones. He says he can feel Yugi."

Jack stared at Yami for a moment. His brown eyes scanned the young man from the feet to the head, his dreadlocks fell in his face.

"How can you feel him?" Jack asked quizzically, raising and eyebrow. He had his doubts about Yami. He knew the boy's story. He knew he was a Pharaoh from Ancient Egypt whose soul was trapped inside an imamate object until Yugi released him. He knew that was the base of their friendship, and that they shared a body for some time, so they're minds were interconnected. He knew they had a sort of twin telepathy until they had been forfecully separated by the man called Bakura. Jack was not naïve in his relationship with Yugi, but he recalled Yami telling him that ever since he obtained his own body, he no longer had the mental connection with Yugi. It didn't make any sense for it just to come back out of nowhere.

"I just can." Yami said through a frustrated breath. "I know it doesn't make any sense, I know it seems odd, but I can feel him! He's so close! We're so close! You're friend, Tia, was right. We are going to meet up with Jones. We can save Yugi and Elizabeth."

Jack blinked. "How long do you think we have until we run into the Flying Dutchman?" It was a necessary question. He needed to know how much time he had to prepare for running into his arch enemy. He hadn't told Will or Yami the entire truth behind his relationship with Davy Jones. He had borrowed the Black Pearl from Davy Jones, making an oath to return it after a decade's time. Unfortunately, his crew had committed mutiny on him after only two years. He hadn't given the Black Pearl back. He had fallen in love with it. It sounded stupid, falling in love with a boat, but it was the only place he had ever considered home.

He didn't want to have to find a new home. The Pearl was his pride and joy. If he lost it, he had no idea what he would do, or how he would make it through the rest of his life.

"A few hours, maybe?" Yami shrugged. "I'm not sure exactly. I only know we'll run into them soon. Before dawn of tomorrow, I'm sure." The thought of seeing Yugi again made Yami ecstatic, but it also made him nervous. He didn't know what to expect from Yugi. Would he be mad at Yami for not trying harder to save him? Would he be severely traumatized? Scared beyond repair? Would there be anywhere for them to reestablish the connection they had lost after long apart? There were too many questions that nagged at the back of Yami's head. He wanted Yugi to be safe, away from that crazy bastard. He didn't care if Yugi hated him for what had transpired between them. The only thing that mattered was that he would be safe.

"What's your plan of action?" Jack inquired. "What are we going to do once we finally hit the Flying Dutchman?"

"I have none." Yami admitted. "I'll act out purely by instinct. Make it an act of passion."

"That's not only dangerous, it's downright stupid!" Will exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. "Do you want to get us killed?"

"I doubt any kind of conspiracy would help us anymore. We don't know where Jones keeps his key to death, and I don't think he'll be kind enough to let us look around for it."

Will sighed and placed his hands over his face, rubbing it. "You're right, I suppose. But, don't you think we should have some kind of plan?"

"I might have a solution." Jack said quietly. He reached for his waist and pulled out his revolver, handling it delicately. "We may not be able to kill Jones with a bullet, but it will still injure him and slow him down."

"But, you only have the one!" Will pointed out.

Jack whistled and looked away, down at the floor. Will's face flushed with anger and frustration. He clenched his fists to stop himself from punching Jack right in the face. "You've had a second rifle this entire time, and you never told us?"

"I didn't say how many extras I had."

"You have more than two?" Jack nodded. "How many do you own?"

"I have quite the collection."

"How. Many? Guns?" Will hissed through his teeth. He was growing impatient with Jack's constant rambling and avoidance of the question. He just wanted to know how many rifles Jack had been harboring on the Black Pearl. It wasn't a difficult question in the slightest. It might be embarrassing on Jack's part, to have to tell of all the weapons he had been hiding, but it was knowledge that could save every man on the ship.

"I have," Jack scratched the back of his head and lowered it even further, not wanting Will or Yami to see the shame in his eyes, "half a dozen." He mumbled.

Will's eyes widened as did Yami's. They both looked at each other, shocked.

"You have six guns hidden on this ship?" Yami shouted, appalled. "How? How do you keep six guns hidden from us, for all this time?"

"My secret stash is hidden in my secret stash." Jack admitted.

"What does that mean?" Will asked, angry and confused at Jack.

"My guns are hidden behind my rum case."

"And you're the only one who drinks that stuff." Yami finished, mentally slapping himself. That's why they never found them. Jack was the only one who touched the rum, much less drink it. Yami had never even looked at the crate he kept all the bottles in, even though Jack claimed he had run out weeks ago. He wasn't sure how much of that he believed, but that didn't matter right now. All that mattered was that he and Will could each get a weapon of their own. Even if they couldn't kill Jones, they could kill his minions, or at least injure him enough to slow him down. He could still feel pain.

But, any one of these three men could lose their lives on that ship. Yami would give up his life for Yugi, and Will would die for Elizabeth, but neither man was sure if Jack would be willing to make a similar sacrifice. Jack was selfish. They doubted he would die for anyone. For now, though, they wouldn't think about what could happen. They just focused on defeating Davy Jones. Yami and Will quickly ran down the cellar and searched for the crate. They found it against the wall to the left of the stairs and searched through it. They dug under empty rum bottles until they found the six rifles, each identical to each other.

They each chose one, and cocked it. It made a small snapping noise, indicating that the barrel was open. Yami met Will's eyes.

"You ready to kick some squid butt?" He asked, pointing the gun towards the ceiling.

"Like I've been waiting for it my entire life."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Jones had left them down in the cellar, and they were whispering about their plan to beat Jones. They thought out all the details that came to mind: they would only think happy thoughts around Jones, they would do their best not to speak to Jones, and, if the time was right, they would try to kill him. They would maybe find the Rod and use the spear inside of it to stab him in the chest.

Because, they didn't know about his heart. They didn't know that it wasn't inside his chest, like it should be. They were ignorant to the fact that Jones had surgically removed his heart to give to his lover, and now kept in a box. They had no idea, how hard it would be to kill Davy Jones, because they were ignorant to so many facts about him that were necessary to know, for his demise to come. They had to know where his heart was in order to kill him.

But, they didn't know about his heart. So to them, the plan seemed fool-proof.

"How will you get the Rod away from him?" Elizabeth said in a low whisper.

"I don't know." Yugi admitted sullenly. "It may take months before the perfect opportunity to steal it comes. We'll just have to be patient."

Elizabeth scoffed and rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I don't think I have any more patience left inside me. We might be better off jumping off of the side of the ship, like Beckett."

Yugi shook his head, his eyes were closed. He opened them and then spoke. "No. We won't let him die in vain, and he won't let Jones win. He needs to learn that there are beings out there more powerful than him. It looks like we'll have to be his teachers on this subject."

"Something tells me Jones isn't one for going to school."

"Then we can homeschool him. I'm sure he would appreciate that a lot more than having to go to a school. Whatever way it goes, we are going to teach him this most needed lesson."

"And what if we do kill him? What then? What are we going to do with the Flying Dutchman? What are we going to do about the rest of his crew? Don't you remember when we first came on here? There were at least thirty other crewmen! Now, how many are there? Three? What happened to the other twenty-seven? What did Jones to them? What if he does the same thing he did to his crew, to us? There are just too many questions, Yugi! There's too much we don't know about."

Yugi sighed. Elizabeth did bring up some good points. What did happen to the rest of Jones' crew? What would he and Elizabeth do with the Flying Dutchman, if they were lucky enough to defeat Jones? He knew nothing about sailing, and had no idea what he would do with the last three members of the Flying Dutchman. He didn't even have a clue as to what happened to the other members of the original crew, and wasn't too sure if he wanted to find out.

He looked at Elizabeth and gave her the only answer he could think of. It was weak. It was clichéd. But, it was the only one he could give her, even if he himself didn't believe it. He needed to be strong now, for her. "We'll figure everything out as it comes."

"Do you really think so?" She whispered. Her voice was broken, and cracked as she spoke. Yugi could just see her shattered soul behind her mournful eyes. Her could see her heart breaking, crumbling to dust, right in front of him, and there was nothing he could do about it. He was forced to watch from the side lines as she went through what had to be the biggest low in her entire life, and he couldn't do anything because it wasn't his fight. He had hit his lowest point when his friend's body were burned, when he had to run away from his home, run away from his life. But, even though Yami was with him during the entire ordeal, Yugi was alone. He had to pull himself out of the ditch he had been thrown into all by himself, without any help from Yami, Elizabeth, or anybody.

Now, Elizabeth had been thrown into that same ditch and she had to pull herself out without any assistance just like Yugi. Yugi couldn't help her out of the ditch, but he could encourage to try and get out on her own.

"I know so." He answered. "If we work together, we can beat him. There is nothing more powerful on this Earth than the magic and strength of friendship and teamwork." They both smiled.

Suddenly, they heard shouts. They heard the shuffling of Jones' boots on the top deck. They had no idea what was going on. Then, something collided with the Flying Dutchman, sending Yugi and Elizabeth sliding down the boat.

"What's going on?" Elizabeth shouted.

"I don't know." Yugi said. "But I'm going to find out." He stood up and ran to and up the stairs. He wasn't on the main deck. Instead, he was standing inside the doorway of the cellar and the main deck, still able to see outside. When he saw what was happening, he began to cry tears of joy.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Yami had his rifle tucked away in his pants. He was pacing around the deck of the Black Pearl. His heart was racing; nervous sweat was beading down his face. He could feel it. They were getting closer to the Flying Dutchman. They were very close. Only a few more minutes until the Flying Dutchman came into sight. Yami was scared of what he would find once they ran into the ghost ship. He could only pray that Yugi was still alive. If he were to find that his partner was dead, he didn't know what he would do.

Will and Jack were waiting with him, standing by the railing of the Black Pearl so they could easily and quickly run onto the Flying Dutchman. They plan had been made. Yami and Jack would distract Davy Jones while Will went in search of the heart. He had decided that he would become Jones' successor if it meant Elizabeth would be safe. After all, he and Elizabeth could remain on the Flying Dutchman and live on the sea. They would be together, which is all he really wanted.

They didn't have to get married if they would just live on the boat forever. Will had decided that he was already living a life in sin; it wouldn't matter what happened on the boat. The wind howled, and dark storm clouds were forming in the sky, as though nature itself was setting the mood for the epic battle that was about to unfold. Thunder boomed and somewhere in the distance, lightening flashed.

Small rain droplets fell from the clouds, pasting Yami and Will's hair to their face. From over the horizon, they could see a thin, green veil.

It was the Flying Dutchman.

"Get ready, men." Jack whispered, grabbing the hilt of his rifle. He turned to face them. "What we've waited for, is about to come forth. If something goes wrong, I want you to know that it has been an honor to sail with you."

"Aye." Yami and Will replied at the same thing.

"Thank you, Jack." Yami said, giving his captain a sympathetic smile. "For everything."

The Flying Dutchman was getting closer. It was only a few yards away.

"Jack," Will said, "you know that my father died when I was just a boy. I have no family. But, you are like an older brother to me. I shall not ever forget our time together."

The Flying Dutchman was only ten yards away now.

Jack titled his head in respect. "Thank you, men."

The trio looked out to the sea, and waited patiently for the ship to come just a little bit closer so they could jump onto it. They were close enough that they could see the deck of the ship. Jones wasn't anywhere in sight, nor were Yugi and Elizabeth. But, they waited. And once the Pearl was just a foot away from ramming into the Dutchman, they pulled out their rifles and ran onto the enemy ship.

**Reviews:**

**Deadpoolhulk: Hope this chapter made you very happy too!**

**Kairi: Actually, it's not 100 chapters. But, I have gotten 100 reviews (yay!) and this story is over 100,000 words. Well, technically no, because Author Notes and Review Replies make up about 5000 words, but it's close enough for me! **

**Aqua Girl 007: You'll find out who stabs the heart in the next chapter! **


	24. Final Battle

**Sage: All your readers are going to mad at you. This is very anti-climactic. **

** I did the best I could. It's not perfect, I know. There are probably a thousand plot holes in this story, most of them in this chapter. But, I think this is the best ending I could muster.**

** Sage: Well, let the readers be to one to give that verdict.**

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Yami, Will, and Jack were now on the Flying Dutchman. They walked around the main deck, waiting for Jones. He must've have known they were on the ship because they heard the sound of a door opening. They turned around and saw the door to the Captain's Quarters opening. Two large boots came out, squeaking on the wood. The pink squid was standing by the helm, looking down on his unexpected visitors.

"Well," he said, his voice was snarling and sinister, "it seems I have some guests."

"Shut it, Jones!" Will yelled, pointing his gun at Davy Jones. "We've come for the people you've taken hostage!"

Jones chuckled and shook his head in a condescending way. "Of course you have. I knew you would. But, I'll make a deal with you." Jones pulled out his own rifle from inside his coat and pointed it at Jack, who froze in fear. "Let me kill Sparrow, and I'll let you and your loved ones go."

"No deal." Yami snapped, cocking his gun. "The only one dying here tonight will be you!" The rifle trembled in Yami's hands. He was having difficulty holding it steady. He had never held a gun before. The weapon felt foreign in his hands. It was heavy, and his hands were already starting to sweat, making it even more difficult to keep a good grip on the gun. Jones noticed this almost right away. He directed his attention to Yami and smirked.

"Is that so, boy? And who's going to be the one to kill me? You?" He laughed. "You couldn't hold that gun straight if your life depended on it. And I know because your life is in danger right now. How do you plan on killing me?"

"We know your secret." Jack said, stepping forward. "We know we have to destroy your heart to kill you."

"Really? Do you know where my heart is?"

No one of the Black Pearl crew spoke.

"Even if you did, it doesn't matter. I've been expecting you for a while now, although I was surprised at how soon you came. I've placed my best man to guard the heart. He'll kill before you even get to see him."

Will stiffened at this news. He had decided that he would be the one to stab the heart. He already knew the dangers that came with that mission, but he was prepared to risk anything for Elizabeth. He still wanted a fair chance at killing Jones, though, even though he knew that the Devil of the Sea didn't play fair. Ever. Still, he was more talented with a gun than Yami, and Jack needed to be there to keep Jones on the main deck, because Jack was the main target for Davy Jones. Wherever Jack went, Jones was sure to follow him.

But, if Jones was so sure that his best man could kill any of them in an instant, maybe he would be willing to humor them all, and tell them where the heart was. Will wasn't going to risk anything by asking. He was just going to see what information he could get out of Jones for now. He wanted to know what Elizabeth had been through these last few, long, hellish months. He didn't want to think about the horrors Elizabeth had suffered, but deep down he knew it was necessary. Especially for him to become her husband, he needed to know the strength she has possessed. He already knew what a strong woman she was, but she had to have grown stronger over the time she was kept captive.

"We'll see about that." Will said through his teeth, his finger was trembling against the trigger. He was so tempted to pull it. He was so tempted to watch a bullet pass threw his chest, and exit the other side. He wanted to see Jones' blood pour onto the deck, even if it wouldn't kill him. It would have to hurt him. Jones wasn't invincible. He felt pain. He bleed, and screamed out in pure, agonizing pain. The only question was, was one bullet enough to make Jones double over in the pain Will wanted to see? Would one bullet ripping threw his chest at unimaginable speeds be enough for Jones for beg for mercy? Will doubted it. Jones was strong. He knew better than to show his pain in front of his enemies. He knew it would make him appear weak and vulnerable to his foes. Jones would do all it took not to appear weak.

"We will indeed." Jones said, smirking. "Now, what are you gentlemen still doing on my ship?"

"We told you." Yami hissed, the gun still trembling in his hands. He didn't know why he couldn't hold it still. He dispised this creature. This creature took away the last human being that meant anything to Yami. He hated Jones with every fiber of his being. So, why was he having such a hard time keeping the gun still? He had it in him to shoot Jones, didn't he? "We want our friends back." Yami finished.

Jones made a noise that sounded like an amused hum. He cocked his head to the side and flared his nostrils. "Is that so? Well, I had to disappoint you, but I have no intentions of giving them back. I've grown rather fond of them. Especially the boy."

Yami felt anger flush into his veins, like a dam had burst. His grip on the gun tightened.

"He is something else, isn't he? He must have quite a history, too."

"Why do you say that?" Yami growled. He wanted to know everything that Jones knew about Yugi.

"Because, we had a run in with some man. He said he had a debt to settle to with the boy and wanted to bargain with me for him."

Yami felt fear dig into his bones. He had a feeling who Jones was talking about. One part of him didn't want to know, but another part wanted to know of nothing else. "Who.." Yami's throat was dry, and closing up, "who was this man?"

"I never bothered learning his name. It seemed of no importance to me. But, I will tell you he was strange looking. He had white hair, and a smile to match the devil's."

"You would know about that, wouldn't you?" Yami took the safety off the gun. He was going to do it. He was going to shot Jones. The bastard smiled. "What happened to him?"

"He fell overboard." Jones said without emotion, as though it meant nothing to him that he had murdered another living thing. Yami knew he didn't. He had killed hundreds of people throughout the last few centuries. Yami was grateful that he no longer had to worry about Bakura ruining the rest of his family, yes, Yugi was family, but he had bigger things to worry about now. He had Jones. He still didn't know where Yugi was on this accursed ship, but that would have to wait. His main priority right now was to kill Jones, and to do it soon. Each moment that passed with Yami having to converse with this creature was another moment Yugi was stuck on this ship. He had already spent enough time on here. An extra time that wasn't necessary, was too much.

"It was too bad, actually." Jones went on. "He was willing to offer me a substantial amount for the boy. Why he wanted him, I have no idea. The boy is not strong at all. He is more of a hassle than is he is worth."

"He is more of a man than you will ever be." Yami hissed. He was able to be more steady with the gun now. The barrel was aimed right at where Jones' heart would be, if it were in his chest where it belonged. It didn't matter. The plan he had conspired with Will would commence soon. Yami just needed to distract Jones for a spilt second.

"Do you know why I took your friends?" Jones asked.

No one answered. This was the question Yami and Will had been asking themselves since the day back in Paris. Why had Jones kidnapped Yugi and Elizabeth?

"I was actually going after Jack. He owes me a debt." Jones beady eyes narrowed onto Jack who did his best to avoid the curious gazes of Yami and Will. "I had used a magic spell to make myself invisible while I came to Paris. The spell only lasts for a few minutes, so I had to be quick about it. When I came to the Black Pearl, I did not find Jack Sparrow on the ship. No, instead, I found your little friends. The spell was wearing off. I wasn't about to go empty handed. They were on your ship, so I assumed they meant something to you. I took them, knowing you would come after them."

"What debt does Jack owe you?" Will said. He couldn't believe Jack had done business with Jones and never mentioned it!

Jones smiled, as though he took pleasure in revealing this tidbit of information. "The Black Pearl, of course."

Curious eyes wandered over to Jack, along with raised eyebrows and stares of disbelief.

"The Black Pearl is my ship!" Jones snarled. "And I was foolish enough to let Jack borrow it. He was only supposed to have it for ten years, and his time is up now!"

"Is that true, Jack?" Will asked shakily.

"Well….it's not a lie." Jack responded, trying to avoid Will's eye.

"And you failed to mention this before because…?"

"Because it wasn't important then!"

Yami growled. He couldn't take their bickering right now. They had more important things to do than argue about Jack's secrecy. He agreed with Will; Jack should have told them about his relationship with Jones the second after he stepped foot on the ship, the Black Pearl. But right now, their main priority was killing Davy Jones. Yami felt his fingers starting to push back on the trigger. Not enough to set it off, but enough for Yami to realize that he had it in him to shoot Jones. The shot wouldn't kill him. It would just be enough to distract him so Will could run off and search the ship for the heart. But, he had a feelings that Will already knew where it was.

Yami's eyes looked up to the door Jones had come out of when they stepped onto the boat. It was the Captain's Quarters. The heart was in there. Yami just knew it. With the sound of Jack and Will bickering ringing in his ears, Yami couldn't take it anymore. He pulled all the way back on the trigger.

The popping sound would forever ring in his ears. Jones cried out in surprise, and grabbed onto his arm, where the bullet had ended up.

"Run, Will!" Yami ordered, still holding the gun, preparing to use another bullet if needed. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw a flash of brown as Will ran up the adjacent steps and went straight inside the Captain's Quarters. Yami sent out a silent prayer that Will would find the heart before Jones killed him and Jack.

Or before something killed Will.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Yugi watched the entire event unfold from his spot in the doorway. He saw Yami, Jack, and Will step onto the ship. He overheard their entire conversation. He saw Yami shot Davy Jones and Will running up into the room Jones spent most of his day in. Yugi had no idea what was going on. Why didn't they just shot Jones in the chest, killing him? Why was Will running into Jones' personal space. What could be in there that couldn't wait until Jones was dead? Nothing was making sense.

'They must know something I don't.' Yugi thought, biting his lip. What was it he didn't know? Yami knew what he was doing. He knew what Jones' Achilles heel was. Yugi was clueless. He had no idea what it could be. He knew nothing about his captor.

"Yugi, what's going on?" Elizabeth asked, climbing the stairs.

Yugi turned around and shushed her. "Shhhh!" He commanded. "Be quiet."

"Why? What is it?" She asked, dramatically lowering her voice.

"You're not going to believe this, Elizabeth." Yugi said, barely able to contain his excitement. He was surprised he didn't call her over the second he saw who had stepped foot onto the Flying Dutchman. News like this couldn't be kept a secret. "Yami, Will. They're on the ship!" He was smiling so large it went across on his face.

"What…did you say?" She asked hesitantly, not wanting to believe her ears. Surely they were playing some trick on her. She couldn't have really heard that. That idea was preposterous. Maybe she was just dreaming. That was the only logical explanation to any of this. She had to be dreaming.

"Yami and Will are on the ship!"

"This ship?"

Yugi nodded.

"Oh, my….!" She covered her face with her hands, crying happily. She couldn't believe it either! Will was not only alive. He was here now, he had come to rescue her after all! After all this time of assuming he was dead, she had a real answer: Will was alive. It was the answer she had prayed for, it was the answer she had revolved her entire captivity around. Even after all the doubt, even when it didn't make any sense realistically, it was indeed reality.

"Should we go up there?" She asked, unable to hide her happiness.

Yugi's smile faded and the color drained from his face. He shook his head. "No." He said flatly. "I don't think that would be wise. They're talking with Jones right now. Yami. He just shot him."

"So Jones is dead? Well, why would that forbid us from coming onto the deck? We should be up there right now, enjoying our reunions!"

"Jones isn't dead."

Her smile to disappeared and in its place was a confused look. "What?"

"Jones is still alive. The shot didn't kill him."

"But, how? How could it not kill him?"

"I don't know. Apparently there is a lot I don't know. They all seemed like they knew that the bullet wouldn't kill him."

"What of Will? Has anything happened to him?"

"No." Yugi said and once he did, Elizabeth sighed in relief. "Once Yami shot him, Will ran up to Jones' Captain Quarters. He ran up there in a spilt second. There's something in there they need, I guess. It seemed like they were waiting for the perfect opportunity for a while to send him up there."

"I don't get it." Elizabeth said. "You were the only one ever to go in there. Was there anything of interest in there?"

Yugi shrugged. "No. It just looked like a lot of junk to me. Some maps, a table, ink, quill. Just that kind of stuff. It didn't look like there was anything of value in there."

"Then it must have been pretty well concealed." Elizabeth figured out. She could picture Jones' room somewhat with the information Yugi had given her. She didn't want to spend too much time thinking on the subject of what he did when Yugi and herself weren't around him. They had begun to spend all their days in their little basement, sometimes going days without seeing him. While they necessarily didn't want to see him, it was a reassurance to know he was still there and they were still alive.

Yugi nodded in agreement. "It was probably hiding right in front of my eyes. I have no idea what it could be that's hiding in there. I just hope Will can find it."

"He will." Elizabeth said proudly. She trusted her fiancée. She trusted that Will knew what he was doing. She trusted that Will knew what he was searching for, and that he had the endurance and the willpower to keep on searching for whatever it is that he needed to defeat Jones. And once that devil was right where he belonged, rotting at the bottom of the sea, (she noted the irony in that thought) and then she and Will could be reunited and married, like they should have all the way back in Paris.

'Paris.' She thought sadly. It had seemed so long ago, so long since this entire dilemma began. So long since her life was forever changed, so long since she felt the warmth of her fiancée's embrace. It had been so long since she even thought of her wedding. She had been too busy trying to keep herself alive, and trying to comfort Yugi to give any thought about it. Although the roles between her and Yugi seemed to have switched since Beckett died. Yugi really seemed to have matured greatly practically overnight.

"You seem so sure." Yugi commented. He respected her trust of her future husband. That's the way it should be.

"I trust him." Elizabeth said shyly.

"I do too."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Jones hissed in pain, clutching his arm. Blood seeped through his claw and dribbled onto the deck. Yami felt his heart rate accelerate. It was pumping so fast, he thought it was one beat away from popping out of his chest. His hands were trembling as he struggled to hold to gun steady. His throat had grown dry and sweat was starting to pool out of his pores.

Jones glared up at Yami. "You just signed your death warrant, boy." He growled and pulled up his revolver, aiming it right at Yami's heart.

"No!" A new voice called. It distracted everyone, even Davy Jones, to look up at the new figure.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"You just signed your death warrant, boy."

Yugi heard the voice, but he couldn't believe it. From his small little corridor. He could see the shine of the moon reflecting off of the metal on the gun. He turned to Elizabeth. He wouldn't just sit there and let Yami get shoot. He had to do something.

"Stay here." Yugi ordered, and then he was up and ran onto the deck, not waiting anytime for Elizabeth to respond. He looked over and saw Yami, Jack, and Jones, none of them noticed him. Jones was bringing up the revolver and aiming it right at Yami's chest. Yugi shook his head and took in as much air as his lungs were physically able to carry.

"No!" He screamed and attracted the attention of the trio in front of him. He met Yami's eyes. He couldn't read the expression in them, but he did see a flash of relief. Yami was relieved to see him. And Yugi was relieved to see Yami. It had been so long since he had seen the face of his best friend, he almost looked like a stranger. Yami looked different. He was skinnier, and he had dark circles under his eyes, which appeared a dull shade of crimson.

'Yugi.' He saw Yami mouth. His partner looked like he were about to cry, and Yugi was on the verge of tears as well. But, he couldn't cry now. He had to be strong for Yami, and for himself. The silent words that passed between them were not private. Through the one look they shared, a thousand emotions were shared, and another thousand thoughts were passed on between Yami and Yugi.

I'm so sorry, Yugi.

It's okay. I'm okay.

It seemed that these two thoughts were just passed on over and over. It had been so long since they had seen each other's face. It was like a dream. But, the apologies and accecptances were not private between them. Davy Jones caught the look in their eyes. He saw the brotherly the two shared for one another, and he saw a weakness between the two: each other. Yugi and Yami were too busy having their stare down reunion that neither of them saw Jones move his gun from being pointed at Yami, to be being pointed at Yugi.

But Jack noticed.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The door into the Captain's Quarters creaked opened quickly as Will shoved it out of his way. He kept his gun cocked and pointed right in front of him, ready to strike at this mystery man Jones had said he hired to watch the heart. He didn't see anyone, but he kept his guard up. He wasn't going to risk his life, Jack's, Yami's, Yugi's and, of course, the life of Elizabeth when he was so close to winning this battle.

There were several maps tacked up on the walls, each World Maps. Some of them had been drawn on. A large, square table was in the center of the room with another map on it. This one had large, black ink written over it, marking out what looked to Will to be a travel route. Out by the Caribbean Islands, a small spot in the Atlantic Ocean was circled over and in bold letters was written: The Black Pearl.

Will felt bile rise up in his throat as he gave thought to the idea that Davy Jones had been stalking them. All this time, the Flying Dutchman was just either right behind them or straight ahead. And all this time they had been playing a complicated game of cat-and-mouse. Will would've slapped himself if he didn't have other things to do. He scanned the room, giving every minute decoration his attention. It was dead quiet. So quiet that he could hear-

_Bump-bump. Bump-bump. Bump-bump._

Will silenced his own breathing and put forth all his attention. He closed his eyes to increase his sense of hearing. He was able to hear the direction the sound of the beating heart was coming from. His legs walked him over there, even though his eyes were still closed. He walked forward about ten steps when he suddenly stopped. He opened his eyes and saw that he was standing right in front of a small chest of drawers. It didn't look like it had anything significant on it. There were some gold coins scattered on it, and two captain hats sat on the chest, but something in Will told him there was more to this dresser than the eye saw. His free hand, the one without the gun, reached out and picked up one of the captain's hats. Underneath it was a small, wooden chest.

It was very plain. Just a small, smooth, wooden box. The wood was very rich, though. It was a deep, red, mahogany. Will's hands trembled. He knew it. He just knew it. This was the box he was looking for. This was the box that held the key to defeating Davy Jones once and for all. The contents inside was all that stood between him and his beloved Elizabeth. But, Will also knew the curse behind the contents. Once he stabbed the heart, he would become prisoner to the Flying Dutchman just as Elizabeth had. He was prepared to throw away his future, but he wasn't sure if she would be willing to throw away hers just so they could be together.

This ship had to have bad memoires that Elizabeth would prefer forgotten. He wouldn't blame her if she wanted nothing to do with him once he became the captain of this ghost vessel. She had to have been waiting anxiously to get off this floating hell. Will inhaled deeply. It was a risk he was willing to take. He didn't have much of a choice, after all. If he didn't do it, then he risked the lives of everyone on board the ship right now.

Will sighed as he opened the lid to the box. There it was. The pink muscle bent in and out as it beat. Will stared at it for a moment. He couldn't believe. This was what could kill Jones? Seeing it now, sitting in a dusty old box, Will couldn't believe it. This little heart made Jones look so small now. After Will had gotten his full, he raised the gun. He was about to pull the trigger.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

His blood ran cold. Will turned around and saw a figure come out of the shadows.

'How could I have missed him?' Will thought, panicked.

The figure stepped into the light. He was a mutant too. He had a shark's dorsal fin sticking out of back, and his head was shaped like a hammerhead. He limped as he walked; Will looked down at his feet and saw that one was longer than the other. He was starting to shake. This must have been the man Jones was talking about.

"W-who are you?" Will stuttered, the gun in his hands was starting to tremble.

"It does not matter." The Sharkman's voice was deep and snarly. "But what does matter is that you do not shot off that gun."

"I'll do it! It won't take long!"

"I know it won't take long. But, are you willing to throw away your life, boy? Are you willing to become chained down to the Dutchman? Such a young one as you, surely cannot want to throw away their youth?"

"I-I have to! It's the only way I can save her!"

"Her?" He paused for a moment. "Ah, yes. The lass. You are engaged to her, I assume?"

Will's throat was drying up in fear. He couldn't answer with words. He could only nod.

Sharkman walked over to Will. He was standing just a foot away from him.

"I do not like what the Captain has been doing to her and the boy aboard."

"You….you're being sympathetic? To them?"

Sharkman peered past Will and at the exposed heart, rising and falling in the chest with each beat. "The Captain…is not supposed to take mortals onto the ship. He has been using them as a bartering tool for Jack Sparrow. He wanted to make a trade, at first. Jack Sparrow for the hostages. I do not think he plans that anymore. His only target is the Black Pearl, and he will kill each of you now that he has you all right here."

"Why are you telling me this?" Will whispered.

"Because I think I can do a better job."

Will did a double take at Sharkman. Had his ears deceived him? Had he really said he would shoot the heart?

"What?" Will asked quietly.

" The captain has abused his powers for too long now. It is time that it go to someone else. Someone more deserving. I do not know if I deserve to run the Flying Dutchman, but I do know that Davy Jones no longer does. Let me be the one to soot the heart. Let me take over this ship."

Will nodded, even though his mind was blank. He found himself handing his gun over and Sharkman eagerly grabbed it. Will stepped back and Sharkman stepped forward. He pointed the gun right at the only thing that was keeping his captain alive. He began to pull the trigger.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Jack's eyes froze on the gun in Jones' hand. Yami and Yugi didn't seem to notice that the gun had a new target now. Jack didn't know Yugi. He only knew what he had heard from Yami. Why did he care if he died? Jack couldn't figure out what made him feel so protective about this boy, but he just had to do something.

He didn't think, he just ran. He knocked Yugi down just he heard the popping sound of Jones' gun. He felt a searing pain in his side.

"Jack!" He heard Yami's voice.

Jones chuckled. He had just killed Jack Sparrow. He couldn't believe it! Then, a pain shot through him. He clutched his chest, and noticed that blood was running out of it. He didn't have time to register another thought before he fell down, dead.

Yami didn't bother to celebrate. He ran over to Jack and Yugi and pulled the older man off his brother and got down onto his knees.

"Yugi." He whispered.

"Yami."

They stared at each other for a moment, before throwing their arms around one another. They didn't say anything, but once they heard a pained groan come from Jack, they released and looked down at him.

His eyes were closed and blood was seeping out of his side. They looked at each other, not knowing what to do. They stood to their feet.

"What is going on here?" Elizabeth called as she ran out onto the deck. She froze once she saw Jack bleeding.

Will and Sharkman came out of the Captain's Quarters.

"Guys!" Will called as he ran down the steps. "One of Jones' crewman shot the heart! I don't have to be the captain!"

He too froze when he saw Jack's almost life-less body. He locked eyes with Elizabeth, but did not know what do or say. The entire group stood around as they watched Jack die.

**Reviews: **

**Tsukiko Kaiba: Well, your question has finally been answered. You know who stabbed the heart. I hoped you enjoyed this chapter, and don't hate me too much for how I left it off.**

**WarriorCelt: Wow. One sitting…that must have taken you at least 2 hours! Well, I'm glad you read it. I like getting new reviewers anytime through the story. I hope you liked this chapter, even if it wasn't very exciting. There's still one more chapter, though, so it's not over yet!**

**Kairi: Nope! You were wrong! I don't anyone even thought of the man who stabbed the heart as being the one who would. I hoped I surprised my audience. **

**Deadpoolhulk: Awww…I put on the edge of your seat and I give you this? I feel bad now. This chapter, to me, was not a climax at all. It seemed to go to fast for me, but I didn't know how else to write it. Well, one more chapter left! Hope I do better on the last one.**

**Aqua Girl 007: Well, now you know! **

**Dakukira: Nope, no Bakura. Just some weird old creature who had no real point to the story. I hope you liked this chapter even though it sucked! I hope the last chapter will be better. **


	25. The End

**Well. Here's the end. I know it's really short, but honestly, that's how all my endings are. I don't like to drabble on and on. I like to get right to the point.**

**For those who have been there since the very beginning. Special Thanks to: Deadpoolhulk, Kairi, Aqua Girl 007, and Dakukira. **

"Jack!" Elizabeth cried, and she ran over to the injured captain. She got down on her knees and took his hand. Jack was a friend of hers. He couldn't die! He had just saved them from Davy Jones; he had just saved Yugi from a deadly bullet. He couldn't die. Not now, not here. She looked up at the men with pleading eyes. "Please," she begged them, "there has to be something we can do for him!"

They all hung their heads. Nobody have any idea on how to save the captain of the Black Pearl. She shook her head in denial as hot tears ran down her face. She wouldn't allow herself to just sit there and watch him die. She had to do something. She looked down at him and saw that he had a hand covering his wound. She pulled his hand away and noticed sullenly that Jack did not fight back. She saw the hole in his body. She watched as the blood leaked from it like a faucet. She whimpered like an injured animal. She didn't want anyone to die else to die. Hadn't enough people died already for the sake of this 'adventure'?

Will pulled his bandana over his eyes in respect, and also to cover his own eyes. He was too proud to allow anyone to see his tears. His sniffled. Jack was his best friend, and here he was on his death bed, and there was nothing he could do. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and felt his finger touch cool glass. Will froze as Tia Dalma's words echoed in his head.

"_It is for Jack, because I'm sure he's going to get himself into fatal trouble eventually."_

'She had known.' Will thought hastily. He pulled the vile out of his pocket and pulled the bandana from over his eyes. He stared at the black, paste-like fluid that sat inside it for a minute before he ran over to Jack, motioning for Elizabeth to get out of the way. Elizabeth was confused but did as she was told. Will struggled to unscrew the cap quickly.

"What is that, Jack?" Yami asked, the worry in his voice was evident. He was worried for Jack's safety too, but he had no idea what Will was thinking, or what it was that he had in his hands right now.

"It's a tonic." Will spat out hastily, annoyed at everyone talking to him. He wanted to save Jack as fast as he could. "Tia gave it to me." Giving up on opening it up with his hands, Will bit the cap with his teeth and pulled hard. When he heard the popping of the cork, he thanked God. He discarded the rubber cork and stuck the neck of the vile between Jack's lips and he tilted it back.

They all watched as the black goo ran down the bottle and into Jack's mouth. Once he had fully emptied it, Will pulled back the bottle and watched, hoping and praying with all his heart that it would work. He had been planning on asking Jack to be his best man for his wedding, once they had killed Davy Jones. He couldn't die. Will cared about him like a brother; he would be devastated if Jack died. Everything was silent and the suspense sunk it. They all watched Jack like hawks, holding their breaths. No one said anything, or even dared to move. Then-

Jack coughed and turned over onto his side. He vomited up the black tonic Will had just fed him and turned back over onto his back, clenching his eyes shut. He groaned deeply "Why does my mouth taste like swamp water?" He asked weakly, opening his eyes.

Everybody breathed in a deep sigh of relief. Jack was going to be okay.

"Jack!" Will exclaimed, not bothering to conceal the smile that had spread over his face. "Jack, you're okay!"

Jack smacked his lips together and dry heaved a little. "I wouldn't say that, lad. I have this awful taste in my mouth."

"Is there anything I can get you?" Will asked eagerly. He wanted to help Jack; he owed this man his life and Elizabeth's.

"Fetch me some rum, lad. I'm sure Jones had some stashed around here somewhere."

Jack was already back to his old self. Will smiled. "Sure thing, Jack." He stood up and went to search for Jack's rum.

-A Few Hours Later-

Whatever what was is that tonic Tia had given Will had done wonders. After being shot in his stomach, Jack was now standing up straight and tall, walking around as though nothing had happened. He would grip his wound every now and then, where the makeshift bandage was rubbing, but other than that, he was fine. Will had torn off the sleeve of his shirt and was able to stretch it out enough to warp around Jack's stomach.

Sharkman, the new captain of the Flying Dutchman, had allowed them to stay on the ship long enough for them to collect themselves. He had decided that the body of Davy Jones be tossed into the sea, and so it was. It was now at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, where the fish and algae were now feasting on the corpse.

Yugi and Yami were standing by the railing of the boat together.

"I thought you were dead." Yugi whispered dully. He still couldn't believe that Yami was standing beside him, Davy Jones was dead, and his imprisonment on this ghost ship was now over. The emotional turmoil and stress was too much for Yugi. He had cried everything he had in him. Now, all he had was the numbness left over.

"I had reason to believe the same." Yami replied.

"I spoke with them." Yugi blurted out, not thinking through what he had just said. Seeing the shock and pain in Yami's eyes and the effect of the words landed, Yugi regretted it.

"What did they say?"

"They told me that…It wasn't my fault. What happened. They told me it was fate, and that I needed to stop focusing on them so much so that I could focus on myself, in my time of need."

"Do you believe them? Do you believe that you are guiltless?"

Yugi hesitated for a moment. "I do. And when Bakura died…It was like the Universe was in balance again. He paid for what he had done, and now I can stop feeling sorry for myself and them. They've been avenged."

Yami smiled. "Fate has a way of evening things out."

Yugi stared at the water and watched as the waves hit the boat. He could imagine Jones' dead face, rotting away at the mercy of the life under the seal. "Yeah. It does."

Will and Elizabeth were standing on the opposite side of the boat, leaning against the railing. She had her head on his shoulder, crying as she told her story.

"So Beckett was on this ship, too?" Will asked, trying to understand the story she was telling him.

Elizabeth let out a pained sob and nodded. "He sacrificed himself for us! He died for us."

Will rubbed her back affectionately. "Then I owe him my life, for he saved my love."

Elizabeth smiled. "Will?"

"Yes?"

"I want a simple wedding. I don't care where it happens anymore. This adventure has taught me how precious and fragile life is, and I've learned that it doesn't matter about how extravagant an event is. All that matters is the people there."

"Next time we port, then. We can marry there. I don't care if it is Paris, or if it is in the middle of the bayou. As long as I get to spend the rest of my life with you, nothing else matters."

They turned to each other and kissed, for the first time ever, it felt like. It was as though they had just met and were now experiencing their first kiss. It was magic.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

They stood on the Black Pearl and waved good-bye to Sharkman. They owed him everything. Because of him, Davy Jones was dead and none of them had to become slave to the Flying Dutchman. He saved them. As the ship began to be carried off by the waters, Yugi and Yami had to make an important decision. Where would they go? Now that Bakura was dead, it was safe for them to return to Domino City, but what was left there for them? They had nobody there for them to return too, and they couldn't go back after a group of people they were connected too had burned. Yugi would be a suspect, and Yami would have to stay locked up somewhere, because only the gang and Yugi's grandfather, along with the Isthars, knew of his existence.

"Just stay with us." Elizabeth pleaded. "You guys are like family now."

"We wouldn't want to impose." Yugi said sheepishly.

"We've just spent the last few months chasing after you guys." Will said. "We are not letting you go so easily."

"So…You want us to stay?" Yami asked quietly. He was having a hard time believing his ears. He was quite sure that while Will had a mutual respect for him, he did not like him in the least. It didn't seem likely that he agree, much less want, them to stay on the Black Pearl.

"As she said: We're family."

"Well…What does Jack think?"

All eyes turned to the captain who was standing at the helm, right above the. He grinned down at them and took a large swig of his rum. "Yo ho, me hearties, yo ho!"

-Cue Pirates of the Caribbean Theme Song-

**Reviews:**

**Blue-soljah: Well, I'm glad you liked it! I love hearing from you guys!**

**Kairi: You thought I'd kill Jack. Shame on you. He's too funny to kill off!**

**WarriorCelt: Don't worry; I would never kill of little Jackie! He's the funniest character in the entire series! And thank you for the compliment; it just felt anti-climactic to me. But, I'm glad it was suspenseful for you!**

**Aqua Girl 007: Glad I surprised you!**

**Deadpoolhulk: That's the longest review you have written. Yeah, Jack and Jones couldn't have done a children's card games! They didn't have children's trading cards! Thanks for screaming at me via the computer. A lot people told me the same thing about last chapter. Glad you liked it!**

**Dakukira: Really? I think I do an okay job with Yugi and Yami, but I thought I did a really bad job with Jack. Jack's really complicated. He's goofy and sarcastic and serious all at once! Well, I hoped you enjoyed the ending, even if it was short. **


End file.
